Spike and the Gang: Trouble Strikes Again
by Spinjitzugirl6310
Summary: It's been a month since the battle with the Shredder, and Spike and April (And Vern) are settling down in their new lives. Spike's got a family again and everything seems to be as normal as it can get, until the Foot Clan starts rising again. It's up to Spike, April, the turtles, and Master Splinter to make things right. (Sequel to Shell-Shocked)
1. Chapter 1

**I'm back! Here's the sequel I promised! I own nothing, and please enjoy! Reviews are love!**

Sarah (Spike) Sanchez had felt alone for fifteen years, ever since her parents and two little sisters had died in the car accident, despite the presence of her best friend and colleague, April O'Neil.

They were news reporters. At least, April was. Spike helped.

April had gone in to investigate Foot Clan attacks, (The Foot Clan are a criminal organization) and Spike had followed.

In the span of three days, they were captured to be used as hostages, hung off buildings, fought Foot Soldiers, and robot Samurai with their cameraman, Vernon Fenwick.

They also met four Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles that had originally been childhood pets, and their rat master, Splinter.

Their lives were turned upside down and inside out, and they had defeated evil, eventually, with the turtle's help.

Now things were supposedly returning back to normal.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

April and Spike had jobs at another news station, by day they were reporters, by night, they were still reporters, just generally in the sewers hanging out with the guys.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, read my account of the incident with the Shredder entitled Shell-Shocked.

It'd been a month since the battle in New York, and Spike had healed from her wounds, partially because she's young and her body still works, and partially because of Donatello's expert medical knowledge.

Spike no longer feels alone. She's got a family now, albeit a very weird one.

Let me describe this family:

Master Splinter, the mutated rat, has adopted Spike as a daughter. He is the only one who calls her by her real name, Sarah. He saw through the toughness of her exterior, and saw the good heart underneath.

Leonardo, the oldest of the mutated turtles, (the one with the blue mask and swords, actually,) sees himself as Spike's big brother, despite the fact that she's older. He's almost as overprotective as she is.

Raphael, second oldest, (red mask and sais) actually sort of places himself at around the same age as Spike, and their relationship is usually expressed with friendly punches.

Donatello, third oldest, (purple mask, glasses, bo staff) is usually grouped as a younger brother in Spike's eyes, and she usually sits and lets him talk her ear off about whatever invention he's created.

Michelangelo, youngest (orange mask and nunchucks), is by default younger brother. His job is to primarily irritate Spike.

That's pretty much it, except for Vern, (human) who is counted as a slightly annoying cousin.

This is the weird family that Spike has assembled around her, and visits every night when possible.

**_~Shell-Shocked~_**

"Ugh, it smells," April remarks.

"It's the sewers," Spike points out. "Remember?"

"Yeah."

Spike moves directly in front of a security camera and waves an arm before she continues walking.

When she reaches the entrance to the lair, she makes sure to call out.

"Hey!"

April raises an eyebrow. "Why do you do that?"

"So I don't get squashed by the four of them thinking I'm a threat," Spike explains. She taps the mace and battle-flail attached to her belt, along with her brand new Taser. "You can't be too careful."

Michelangelo comes sailing out, arms stretched out with a wide smile on his face. "Yo, girls!"

He tackles Spike in a hug. Spike pats the back of his shell awkwardly. "What's cookin', Mikey?"

"Not much," he admits, pulling away. He hugs April. "What's up, Angelcakes?"

"All of New York," April jokes.

Michelangelo laughs and starts walking, chattering all the way.

"We saw you guys on the news, you know. Spike was in the background briefly. Nice pantsuit you had, by the way," Michelangelo says.

"Nothing suits me like a suit," Spike remarks with the start of a grin.

She heads over to the computers quietly, approaching the tall turtle seated in front of them. She takes a deep breath.

"Hello, Spike," Donatello spins around to face her.

"Hey, Donnie," Spike says, letting out the air and slapping his shoulder. "Watcha workin' on?"

"Nothing at the moment," Donatello says. "Repairs, mostly."

Spike nods. "Huh."

She feels a slap on the back and spins. "Hey Leo."

"Hey yourself," Leonardo says good-naturedly. "How are you?"

"Better than I was an hour ago," Spike answers truthfully. A voice behind Leonardo makes her eyebrows go up.

"'Bout time you got here."

"Nice to see you too, Raph," Spike says. "Why is it about time?"

He shrugs. "Nothin's been happening. The occasional Foot incident, but it's easily stopped. It's kinda boring."

"Boring is good," Donatello reminds his older brother.

Spike nods. "True." She swings her backpack from off her shoulders with a gleam in her gray-blue eyes. "Did someone say you guys have a DVD player?"

"Yeah, we do," Donatello says. He pushes up his glasses. "Why?"

"I brought something in case anyone cared," she says, opening the backpack and peering inside.

"Don't leave us in suspense," Michelangelo says. "What is it?"

Spike raises her head and takes out a season of The A-Team.

"I think I promised somebody an episode or two of this," she says, waving it slightly.

(All is explained in chapter 17 of Shell-Shocked)

Donatello nods. He jerks his head in the direction of the living area. "DVD player's all yours."

"Thanks, man," she says. She marches off.


	2. Chapter 2

"Raph, it's loaded, if you wanna see it, get in here," Spike cries from the couch, where she has comfortably stretched herself out. Raphael walks in and rolls Spike onto the ground and plops onto the couch. "That was polite," Spike remarks from her new position on the ground.

He nods. "Uh-huh. What's this show about then?"

"A bunch of former commandos are goin' around helpin' people. I swear, if you don't like it I will be astonished," Spike answers, rolling over onto her side to face the television.

Raphael settles back. "Well, we'll see."

Exactly eighty minutes later, the seventy five minute pilot episode is finished. Spike rolls back onto her back to look up at Raphael.

"What didja think?"

"Uh…good. Very good," Raphael says, eyes wide. "Excellent."

"Good. You like B.A.?"

Raphael nods. "Yeah. He's cool."

"Alright!" Spike sits up and raises a hand, splitting her five fingers into three to slap against his hand. "I knew it, man. If you're B.A. then Leo's gotta be Hannibal." She taps her chin. "Mikey's Murdock. And I guess Donatello's Face, since that's the only one left." She leans against the bottom of the couch.

Donatello pokes his head in. "If you two are done, maybe you'd like to know that we've got Foot activity all over the city?"

Spike springs to her feet. "Cool. Let's go."

Splinter comes in, ears twitching. "What's this?"

"Foot activity," Raphael explains standing up. "We're goin' to see what's going on."

Splinter nods his wise head. "Alright. Be careful. Are you taking the girls?"

"We figured we would," Leonardo says from the doorway. "Since they've done so well."

Splinter's furry brow wrinkles before his eyes soften. "Take care of yourselves," he tells the girls. "April, watch out for Sarah. I do not need to tell Sarah to take care of you."

Spike slings a strong arm around April's shoulders. "No problem!"

April turns to Spike. "Should we call Vern?"

"Why?" Spike asks in confusion.

April shrugs. "In case he wants to come."

Michelangelo shakes his head. "Shall we just go?"

Spike nods. "Yeah."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Leonardo splits the teams up. "Raphael, you come with me. Mikey, take April."

Michelangelo grins and nods.

"Donatello, take Spike," he continues. "We meet back in the sewers as soon as possible. Comprende?"

Raphael, April, and Donatello nod. Spike shrugs. "Sure."

"Right. Move out!" Leonardo orders.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Donatello leans over the top of the building, bringing his goggles down over his eyes.

"See anything?" Spike asks.

"Um…..we got maybe ten Foot soldiers total," he informs her, pulling his goggles back up. "We can take them, probably."

"Probably?"

He shrugs. "Most likely. Let's go," he says. He draws his bo staff, and Spike brings her heavy mace out.

He jumps, Spike leaping after him. At Donatello's first swing of the staff, the Foot soldiers jumps back. He continues closing in.

Spike swing the mace and the guy ducks.

"They're better than last time!" she calls, swinging the mace again.

He ducks again, but gets her fist under his chin. Spike kicks out, knocking him backward.

He gets back up. Spike's eyes widen. "Shoot."

The Foot soldier punches her in the face, hard. Spike stumbles back, rubbing her nose. "I didn't get beaten up by the Shredder to be taken down by the likes of you," she mutters, swinging the mace with new vigor. This time, she makes contact. He falls back, and Spike turns to face another soldier, opting for a downward stroke. Blood sprays her face and Spike's nose scrunches in distaste.

Beside her, Donatello takes out another soldier. He looks up at her with wide eyes. "Is it just me, or are they…better fighters without guns now?"

"No," Spike swings the mace again. "I don't think it's just you. They're tougher."

"I wonder what could have happened?"

Spike thrusts the mace forward into somebody's gut. "No idea." She stops. "Listen!"

Donatello slides his goggles down. "More coming!"

"Oh no," Spike groans.

"Oh yes," Donatello says, sliding the goggles back up. "Prepare yourself!"

The Foot soldiers drop down, but they seem more concerned with Spike than Donatello.

They surround her, and Spike has to wonder what they want with her.

(We wonder that too. Hmmm...torture? Death?)

Donatello tries to jump in, and as Spike swings the mace, they move.

Some grab her arms, some dive for her legs. She struggles, thrashing in the pile, before she gets an electric shock.

She stares at Donatello with wide eyes as he tries to dive for her before she falls unconscious.

**Alright! Another chapter up! Thanks for reading! Please leave a review! (I own nothing)**


	3. Chapter 3

When Spike wakes up, she's in a cold, glass cell. Sitting up, she notices Donatello sitting across from her.

"Hey," he says. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she says.  
He smiles. "Biggest lie ever."

The conversation was familiar, the same conversation they'd had a month ago, sitting in the back of a truck, sliding down a snow covered mountain.

Spike shakes her head. "Where are we?"

"Probably a Foot Clan base," Donatello thinks out loud. "Still in the city, I'd say."

Spike grimaces. "Great. Captured. Fantastic."

"We may be able to escape," Donatello begins. Spike jabs him in the side as a Foot soldier enters.

He turns to face the doorway as a young woman enters, with black hair and red highlights. Donatello and Spike exchange looks.

Karai.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Karai stands and faces them with a sardonic smile on her face.

"Well. A turtle and a human. Interesting." She nods at the guard. "Let the girl out. You know what to do."

The case opens, and a gun is trained on Spike.

"Come out slowly," Karai says pleasantly. "If you don't, we'll shoot you. If your…friend…tries to stop it, you get shot." Her eyes flicker to Donatello.

Spike nods slowly, without taking her eyes off the gun. "Okay." She steps out with her hands up. "Here I am."

Karai nods. She points to a chair. "Sit." Spike is led at gunpoint to the chair, where she unceremoniously plops down.

Karai leans down so her face is inches from Spike's. "Where are the others?"

Spike shrugs. "Heck if I know."

Karai slaps her. "The truth!"

Spike shrugs again, working her jaw. "I don't know, really. They're out."

"And where is the rat?"

"Uh, I thought you killed him," Spike says, fighting to keep her cool.

"So did we, at the time," Karai says, almost spitting words. "We think he's alive. Where is he?"

Spike stares back into her eyes unflinchingly. "I don't know."

Karai raises her hand to slap her again before an idea strikes her. She smiles, lowers her hand. It's not a nice smile.

"You will tell us, or your…..friend…dies," she says. A foot soldier moves to a control panel. "If you don't answer, we will flood the case with toxic gas," she remarks. "Very unpleasant."

Spike feels the blood drain out of her face.

"Don't tell her," Donatello warns. "I'm fine."

"Biggest lie ever," Spike replies.

Karai grabs her shoulders. "Where is he?" she says calmly. Spike's eyes have faded to almost completely gray in the dark, and she glares back.

"I don't know," Spike spits. "Even if I did, I don't think I'd tell you."  
Karai slaps Spike again.

"Start filling the case!" she calls.

Spike's eyes widen. She cranes her neck as Donatello takes a deep breath, holding the air in and looking at Spike with equally wide eyes. Even then, he shakes his head.

Spike turns back to Karai. "Fine! I'll tell you."

Donatello's eyes burn a hole through her back. "He's in an old warehouse," Spike lies, trying to keep her voice from shaking. She gives an address. Karai smirks and steps back.

"We'll see."

"You don't believe me?" Spike asks, voice trembling slightly.

"I think that you are fully capable of lying to me," Karai says as the gas starts to flood the chamber. Donatello squeezes his eyes shut. "But we'll send soldiers to check." She looks up. "Stop the gas. Put the girl back. Keep them alive. They know where the old rat is hiding." She grabs Spike by the arm and shoves her.

Spike stumbles back into the chamber and shakes Donatello, who opens an eye.

"That was stupid," he whispers.

She shrugs. "It was either that, or you died." She drags him to a seated position, leaning against the walls of their cage.

Donatello nods and lets his head fall back. Spike looks back outward nervously. She just gave the address Leonardo and Raphael were at. She hopes they can take them.


	4. Chapter 4

It was perhaps an hour when Karai came back to the room, looking angry.

"My men went to your address, and they haven't come back."

Spike shrugs. "Guess they found him."

Karai walks right up to the glass and sneers. "Yes. Which means it's only a matter of time before we shall kill your rat master."

Donatello raises his head. "What makes you think that?"

Karai looks at him with disdain. "I thought it was obvious. This is a trap. You're the bait. Work it out."

Spike stares.

"The others will come looking for you," Karai continues. "We'll be ready for them!"

As she speaks, there is racket outside. Karai frowns. She turns and walks from the room, trying to keep her pace unhurried.

When she leaves, Donatello slumps again with a half-smile. "Maybe not as ready as she thought?"

"Or something," Spike agrees as the door bursts open. Leonardo's voice rings out.

"Are you two okay?"

"I'm alright," Spike says, rising to her feet. "Donatello got gassed briefly."

"I'm okay," Donatello says, standing as well. He points. "Control panel. Get us out of here!"

Raphael's bulk slams into the side of the cage.

"Or we could try that," Spike remarks. "That didn't help much."

Raphael shrugs. "Thought I'd give it a try. The Foot should be here real soon, so we gotta move fast."

Leonardo is examining the control panel. "This one?" he presses a button. The walls start closing in.

"WRONG ONE!" Spike and Donatello shout frantically.

Leonardo presses another button. The walls stop moving, and a panel in the glass swings open. Spike jumps through.

"Thank goodness," she breathes. "Good thing we're not claustrophobic, eh Don?"

Donatello climbs out. "Yeah."

Raphael tosses Donatello his bo staff from a pile by the door. Spike runs over and hefts her mace, hooking it back onto her belt, along with her other weapons.

"Let's get out of here," Leonardo says, joining them by the wall. "Mikey took April back to the lair. They're safe," he tells them.

Spike nods. "Thank goodness."

She unclips the mace, and hefts it. "Let's blow this popsicle stand!"

"I couldn't agree more," Donatello says.

Raphael kicks the door open and pokes his head out. "Coast is clear."

"Move," Leonardo orders. They file through, and Leonardo takes the lead as they head out of the base.

"Where is everybody?" Donatello asks.

"We took one of your explosives and rigged it a few rooms down," Leonardo explains. "They should be here soon."

Spike nods as the room fills with Foot soldiers. "I see."

Raphael hurls a throwing star at the light switch and it goes dark.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

The gunfire rings out as they run, and at one point Spike is dragged backward for a second, but she breaks free quickly and keeps running, eyes forward, where the back of Donatello's shell should be.

Finally, a door opens and she sees Leonardo burst out into the night. Raphael is the next one out, followed by Donatello. Spike throws herself out before spinning and closing the door.

"Thanks for the rescue," she gasps.

"Don't mention it," Leonardo says. "Now we gotta get back to the lair before they come at us again."

Donatello and Spike nod and follow the other two up the side of the buildings on their way home.


	5. Chapter 5

Spike drops onto the couch next to April, who leans over. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Spike says, rubbing her head. "You?"

"Yeah, Mikey got me back here before I could be in any real danger," April admits. "Where were you?"

"Being kidnapped," Spike says ruefully. "Donnie and I."

April stands up and jogs over to Donatello. "Are you okay?"

He nods and smiles. "Perfectly, thanks to Leo and Raph here." He pats her shoulder affectionately. "We're fine. By the way, Spike can bluff well. Don't ever play poker with her."

"I didn't think I bluffed well," Spike remarks from the couch. "I was worried sick she wouldn't buy it. So, boys," she turns to Raphael and Leonardo. "How much of a struggle were the Foot soldiers I sent?"

Leonardo shrugs. "Not too bad. Easier than the Shredder," he points out.

"Ooh, that's saying a lot," Spike says, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I think my body still aches thinking about it!"

"I hope not too much," Donatello says grimly from the computer. He turns. "The Foot are coming to the lair."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"What?" several voices shout at once. Michelangelo bounces to his feet. Splinter shakes his old head.

"How did this happen? Were you followed?" he asks.

"I don't think so…." Spike thinks frantically.

"Getting a signal from something in the lair…" Donatello says. He stands in surprise. "From Spike!"

Spike's eyes widen. "They must have planted a tracker! But how….."

She remembers being grabbed from behind. "They wanted us to escape! We led them right to Splinter!"

"Calm yourself, Sarah," Splinter says with almost absurd amounts of serenity in his voice. "We will be able to defeat these Foot soldiers."

April nods.

"Not you," Spike points.

"Why not?" April snaps. "I kicked Shredder off a building! I can help fight!"

Spike sighs. "You could get hurt."

"So could you! Actually, you got majorly hurt that day, if I remember!"

Leonardo shakes his head. "Look, we don't have time for arguments. April, be careful. Spike, stop being her mother."

"I'm not being her mother," Spike starts. "I'm trying-"

"-To protect her," Leonardo finishes. "And I understand that! But we need to remain collected. Spread out, guys!"

Michelangelo grabs April's arm and drags her to his corner. Donatello backs up with Leonardo. Raphael presses forward. Spike stays slap in the middle, battle flail in one hand, mace in the other, senses sharp.

Ironically, she doesn't hear the Foot until they're almost on top of them, surging in. It's a surprisingly small group, they had fewer numbers than they did a month ago, but it was still enough. Spike charged, hollering at the top of her voice as the two forces clashed.


	6. Chapter 6

Spike is reminded of another battle in the lair, a month ago. Then, she had been an observer. Now here she is, immersed in the action.

Spike swings the mace into the side of a Foot Soldier's head.

She catches a glimpse of Michelangelo, who is spinning, nunchucks extended. He seems to be causing a lot of damage.

Spike starts spinning the battle-flail, sweeping it in front of her, knocking Foot soldiers aside.

She ducks a blow and rolls, smashing somebody's knees. She sees flashes of Splinter, moving blindingly fast. Foot soldiers are flying everywhere from his direction. Spike punches somebody's ankle, and bounces to her feet, swinging her mace into someone's abdomen.

She hears April screaming.

Not out of fear, mind you.

It's a battle cry, and Spike sees her stab somebody in the arm with a huge kitchen knife.

Spike's eyes bug, before she machine kicks another Foot soldier in the gut.

She ducks a flying body and listens to Leonardo's triumphant noise of satisfaction.

_Glad to see some of us are enjoying ourselves._

Someone bumps into her from behind, and she spins angrily to see Donatello.

Or rather, the back of him. Donatello spins too.

"It's me," she assures him. A relieved smile breaks out across his face.

"Thank goodness," he says.

She nods and faces front again, kicking out ferociously. Someone knocks the mace from Spike's hand, and she responds with punching the offender in the face, then elbowing him in the chest. She scoops the mace back up and tops it off with a kick to the gut.

"Just like Budapest, eh Spike?" Michelangelo quotes from across the room.

"You and I remember Budapest very differently," Spike jokes, slamming her knee into someone's nose.

She hears a half laugh across the room that she could swear comes from Raphael.

Spike smiles in spite of the situation as she listens to April's victory scream as she whacks somebody with a frying pan.

Spike absorbs a punch in the face herself, before driving her leg into his side.

Foot soldiers are dropping everywhere. Spike slams her forehead into the forehead of the guy in front of her and stands, panting as she looks at the unconscious and wounded Foot soldiers.

"All done," Michelangelo says, walking over. Leonardo joins them.

"Yep. Good job, guys!"

April walks over, holding a frying pan in one hand and a huge kitchen knife in the other. She grins. Her hair's matted, she's got a few bruises and she's bleeding, but she looks thrilled.

"That was cool," she declares.

"Really?" Spike asks incredulously. "You did great, girl!" She wipes a speck of blood off her cheek.

Raphael walks over, wiping his sais.

"Yo," Spike greets. "Good times."

Raphael nods. Everyone turns as Splinter joins them.

"You did well, my sons. April, Sarah, you two did well too," he tells the group. He smiles. Spike takes in the pile of soldiers behind him.

"Holy cow," she says. "You did awesome."

Splinter shakes his head. "Now we need to do something with them."

"I got an idea," April says.

**_~Where Trouble Goes~_**

The next day, Spike slaps April on the back heartily. "Way to get the story!"

April's section of news time was over, where she had just broke the news about the police finding all the Foot soldiers, and the recent jailing.

April smiles.

"Yeah. We're finally getting the good stuff," she agrees.

"You mean YOU are," Spike insists. "I was all ready to forget jailing them and just…dispose of them."

"You and Raphael both," April pokes her in the shoulder. "But that's not how we roll."

"No, it's not," Spike admits. "It's just…they're monsters."

April nods. "I know how you feel. But we're still doing good here." She smiles and squeezes Spike's shoulder.

"Way to go, O'Neil," a familiar voice calls. Vernon Fenwick jogs up, arm recently out of the sling. "You did great."

"Yeah," April nods. "Thanks, Vern. But it wasn't just me, it was me and-" she turns to face Spike, who has mysteriously disappeared. April shrugs. "Spike. She was here a second ago."

Vern shrugs too. "She probably went to go hang with you-know-who."

April nods and shakes her hair out of her face. "Probably."

She pats Vern's shoulder. "I'll go catch up to her. You can come, if you want."

"No thanks," Vern says. "Maybe another time."

The same answer as last time.

April understands. "Okay. See you around!"

She turns and jogs off, pulling out the phone to call her friend up.


	7. Chapter 7

"'Sup, April?" Spike answers.

"Where are you?"

"Sewers." Spike looks at the wall of the tunnel. "Haven't gotten too far. I'm at the spot with a bit of adoxography on the wall."

"What?"

"I think it means beautiful writing on a subject of little or no importance," Spike explains. "Unless Donatello's mistaken."

"Okay, I'm on my way down now."

April walks up a few minutes. "Why'd you split?"

Spike shrugs. "I'm not a people person. Vern isn't my biggest fan, and I'm not his." She looks down. "And-"

"You don't still blame yourself for him getting shot in the arm, do you?" April asks. "You couldn't have done anything."

"Maybe if I'd gone with you instead of with the guys-"

"No," April interrupts. "They needed you. You went where you should have. And Vern's healed by now! He doesn't blame you! You like guilt tripping yourself, don't you?" April looks at her friend.

Spike shrugs one shoulder. "I dunno, man."

Michelangelo bounds out suddenly. "Hey, April! And Spike!" He wraps an arm around April and Spike's shoulders. "How're things? Dude, that news report was so cool and you totally helped jail those guys!"

Spike nudges his arm off her shoulder. "You guys helped."

"Yeah, but we can't get credit," Michelangelo reminded her, leading them into the lair. "Yo guys! It's our favorite reporting team!"

"Lois Lane and Clark Kent?" Leonardo jokes.

"Just April and Spike," Michelangelo says, plunking down on the couch.

Leonardo looks up. "How'd you guys like to go out on stakeout?"

"Sounds fabulous," Spike remarks. "Good thing I got my gear."

"Kay. Shall we split up again?" Leonardo asks.

Donatello approaches. "Just don't put me with Spike again. We saw how that went last time," he jokes. Spike swats his arm playfully.

"Aw, it's just cause of our magnetic personalities," she jests.

"Okay, we shake things up a little. Raph, you take Donatello, I'll take April. Mikey, go with Spike," Leonardo instructs. "We got our eyes on a couple of buildings that look suspicious."

"So you want us to go check 'em out," Spike nods. "Sounds cool. C'mon, Mikey," she grabs the tails of his mask and tugs as she starts heading out.

"We check back here in a few hours!" Leonardo calls after them.

Michelangelo turns, running backward. "Okay!"

He faces forward and keeps running.

Leonardo sighs.

April shrugs. "They'll be okay."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike sits on the edge of a building, staring intently at the building across from them. It was an apartment building, but no one had been seen going in or out of it for months. Michelangelo sits next to her, swinging his legs absently.

"I feel like Batman," he remarks. "So, are you Batgirl, Batwoman, or Catwoman?"

"Don't forget Black Bat," she says, without looking up. "And I think you're more like Robin."

"Which makes Leo Batman," he says. "It all makes sense. So, Raph's like Nightwing, and Donnie is….."

"Like Red Hood or somethin'," Spike comments. She leans forward and points. "Hey look, we got movement."

Several dark figures climb out of the back of a truck and head into the building carefully.

"I think we found our guys," Michelangelo says. He stands. "Let's do this!"

He fires a grappling hook across until it hooks onto the opposite building, sliding a hook onto it, and goes soaring above the strangely quiet street.

Spike follows him. They drop onto the new building and lean over the side.

There's a window. Michelangelo turns to Spike. "I'll go first, and then you, okay?"

"M'kay," Spike responds. "Just be careful, man. Leo'll kill me if you get hurt."

He grins and swings into the window.


	8. Chapter 8

Spike waits on top of the building for a few minutes before peering down. A green hand grabs her arm and yanks her down with him. Michelangelo puts a finger to his mouth.

"SHHHH!"

"I know," she hisses.

He grins. "Just makin' sure!"  
Spike looks around. The room was dark, and there were no Foot soldiers. "All clear," Michelangelo informs her.

"No kiddin'," she remarks. "Let's move."

They creep along hallways, Michelangelo looking ahead, Spike looking behind.

"Where is everybody?" Spike asks quietly.

"Maybe downstairs," Michelangelo suggests. He shrugs. "I dunno." They come to the end of the hallway.

"Stairs or elevator?" Michelangelo asks.

Spike shrugs. "I don't care, just hurry!"

"Eenie meanie miney moe…Elevator!" Michelangelo declares. He pries the doors open and looks down. "How do you feel about climbing?"

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike peers down. "Yippee."

"Grab a side, and let's go!" Michelangelo cries. He leaps to the other side of the shaft and starts making his way downward.

Spike sighs and swings herself in and starts climbing.

"Do we know what floor?" she asks.

"Uh…..I dunno, but it's a ways," he says. "Don't look down."

Of course, we all know what Spike does next.

She looks down between her feet. It seems to go on forever.

"Yay," she deadpans.

"I told ya not to look!"

"By telling me not to look, you guaranteed that I would look," Spike argues. "Now SHHH!"

Michelangelo rolls his eyes and pokes his tongue out before continuing his decent silently.

Spike freezes. "Did you hear something?"

Michelangelo stops and cocks his head. "Maybe….." his eyes widen as the noise grows louder. "Yes!"

"What is it?" Spike asks nervously.

"I think it's…" Michelangelo looks down. "THE ELEVATOR!" he yelps.

Spike looks down too. The top of the elevator is rising to meet them. Above is the roof, below is the approaching elevator. They'd be squashed unless they thought of something, fast.

Spike examines the top. She nods downward. "You see that hatch?"

Michelangelo nods, a paler green than normal.

"Can you open it?"

Michelangelo looks at her and nods again, color returning. He reaches down with one hand, grabs his nunchucks, and jumps, landing on top of the elevator. He tugs at the hatch. It refuses to budge.

"Uh, a little help?"

Spike drops too, landing beside him. "Ouch," she mutters, rubbing her knee before kneeling and grasping the hatch, her strong hands looking small next to Michelangelo's.

They pull.

Spike strains and Michelangelo grunts and the hatch opens. Spike peers down and jumps back as gunfire starts. Spike grimly draws her mace as Michelangelo jumps in, nunchucks spinning.

Spike follows when she notices the ceiling getting way too close for comfort.

"Aw, man," Spike utters. "You didn't save any for me!"

She is standing in an elevator filled with unconscious Foot soldiers, and one pleased Michelangelo. He shrugs.

"Maybe next time I'll share," he jokes.

"Phew," Spike leans back. "I've been captured, tracked, attacked at home base, and stuck in an elevator shaft. This has been a couple interesting days."

Michelangelo nods. The elevator stops and Michelangelo presses the button for the bottom floor.

"The last time we were in an elevator," he muses. "We were going up to meet the Shredder."

Spike nods. "No beatboxing," she warns playfully.

"No problem. I need my bros anyway."

The doors slide open as they hit the bottom floor.

They get into a defensive stance.


	9. Chapter 9

The Foot are quick to start firing. Michelangelo charges first, shielding Spike from the bullets. He strikes out with his nunchucks, hollering at the top of his voice.

Spike is out next, screaming battle cries as she swings her mace and her battle flail.

Spike and Michelangelo fight back to shell, swinging weapons, (and insults) at the enemy.

Spike swings out into a machine kick, knocking the gun from the Foot soldier's hands and whacks him in the side with her mace, before swinging her battle flail into the side of another's head.

"That's gonna leave a mark!" Michelangelo shouts.

"Yeah," Spike agrees, spinning into a kick into someone's face. "And so will that!"

Michelangelo attacks blindingly fast, spinning into weird combos that accomplish two things:

They confuse the enemy.

They beat up the enemy.

Spike jumps, coming in high on her foe, slamming into his chest with both boots, battle flail already taking out a Foot soldier beside him.

"Boy, this is fun," Michelangelo comments, nunchucks spinning.

"Yeah," Spike nods, a little out of breath. "Tell me about it!"

She dives in between a Foot soldier's legs and slams her elbows into the backs of both of his knees. He goes down, and Spike kicks him over.

After a few minutes, Spike stands panting next to Michelangelo, Foot clan lying everywhere. Michelangelo wordlessly throws his hand up.

Spike forms her hand into the Vulcan hand symbol so her five fingers fit more into three and slaps her palm against Michelangelo's.

"We are way cool," Michelangelo declares.

"If Splinter heard that, he'd disagree," Spike teases, slapping his shoulder gently.

Michelangelo shrugs good naturedly, hooking his nunchucks back. "We should probably start heading back."

"Yeah," Spike agrees. She flips out her cell phone.

"What're you doin'?" Michelangelo asks.

"Gettin' the police here to take care of them before they wake up." She points. "Start out, I'll meet you a block away by that restaurant I can't ever go to because the food prices have more digits then my phone number."

Michelangelo laughs, nods, and then he's gone.

Spike shakes her head and dials.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Five minutes later, Spike drops next to Michelangelo.

"Hey!" he greets. "Wanna go home?"

"Yup," she nods, wiping her chin. "How bad do I look?"

"You got a bruise or two and a scratch," Michelangelo reports. "But…you're mostly fine."

"All that training will do wonders," Spike declares. Michelangelo laughs and rises to his feet.

"C'mon, let's go home." Michelangelo starts running.

Spike smiles as she runs after him, turning over the word in her mind.

_Home._


	10. Chapter 10

Spike drops onto the couch at the same moment Michelangelo falls onto his plastron dramatically on the floor in front of her.

"You're not tired, are ya?" Spike asks dryly.

"I could do that all day," Michelangelo jokes.

Splinter comes in and eyes them. "You are both unhurt?"

"Yep," Spike reports. "No bones broken."

"I sure hope not," Leonardo's voice calls out. He strolls in, followed by a heavily breathing April.

"You okay, girl?" Spike stands and takes a step towards April. April waves an arm.

"No, I'm fine. Just tired. Leo wouldn't let me take any bad guys on. He's almost as bad as you," April teases.

Spike shakes her head. "I gotta step up my game."

"Please don't," Donatello says, entering.

"Yeah," Raphael adds. "You're bad enough as it is."

Spike shrugs. "I don't think you mind. And it's not like you aren't a handful," she jabs. "So, how'd it go?"

"We busted some heads," Raphael says, sitting down in the spot Spike vacated. "You?"

"Busted heads, almost got stuck in an elevator shaft, jailed the Foot," Spike says modestly. Michelangelo nods from his spot on the floor.

"It was fun," Michelangelo adds.

Spike plunks herself down next to Raphael and reaches for her backpack on the floor, taking out a thick book and kicking off her boots, bringing her legs up onto the couch. She brings the book up in front of her face and starts reading, evidently finished with the conversation.

April leans over her shoulder. "Anything good?"

Spike closes the book with a sigh. "I think so."

"Can I see?"

Spike hands the book back. It's black, with the title on the front: _Collection of the Best Horror Stories To Give You Nightmares._

"Nice," April comments sarcastically. She flips the book over and reads the back. "Here's the description of one: 'My wife woke me up last night to tell me there was an intruder in the house. She was murdered by an intruder two years ago.'" April makes a face. "Not fun."

"Sounds cool," Raphael comments.

"Sounds the 'The Twilight Zone'," Donatello points out.

Spike turns to him, book forgotten. "You watch it?"

"Occasionally."

Spike nods. "Cool show."

He shoves his glasses up his nose with a little smile. "Yeah."

April is still holding her book, so Spike stretches out on the couch, pressing her socks against Raphael's knee. She closes her eyes. "Move your leg, Red."

April puts the book on Spike's stomach and walks away. Spike turns onto her side, letting the book fall to the floor.

"You can't go to sleep," April warns. "We have to go to work tomorrow."

"I'm not gonna go to sleep," Spike assures her, eyes still closed. "Jus' restin'…."

A few minutes later, she buries her nose into the edge of the couch and snores softly.

April shakes her head.


	11. Chapter 11

Spike's eyes open.

She's lying on her side, on a couch, that isn't in her apartment.

She puts a hand to her head and groans, and notices the blanket over her. She stares at it incomprehensibly for a minute before checking her watch.

It's 6:00 in the morning.

"Shoot!" she falls off the couch, getting tangled up in the blue blanket. "Shoot, shoot, shoot!"

"Shoot what?" Michelangelo's voice floats out to her from the kitchen. Spike pulls the blanket off and stands up.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Spike says, brushing herself off.

"You were sleeping peacefully," Donatello points out, leaning against the doorway. "You are rarely peaceful."

"Hilarious, Four-Eyes," Spike remarks. "Where the-" she looks at the blanket again. "LEO, I'm gonna kill you!"

Leonardo pokes his head in. "Why?"

"Is this yours?" she holds up the blanket.

"Yeah. I drew the short straw."

"You drew s_traws?_" Spike gapes. "And I can't believe no one woke me up, I have work, April is gonna kill me."

Splinter's paw appears on her shoulder. "Calm down, Sarah."

Spike takes a deep breath. "You startled me," she comments. "Good morning, Master Splinter."

"Good morning, Sarah," Splinter replies calmly.

Spike sighs. "Sorry. I gotta get goin', I'm gonna be late and April'll kill me."

Donatello shrugs. "You gotta eat first. Here," he hands her a pack of chocolate fudge pop tarts.

"Did you lick the icing off these?" Spike asks suspiciously.

"No," Donatello says seriously. "I swear."

"Good." Spike rips open the packet with her teeth while shoving her boots on. "Thanks," she says with her mouth full. She stands up, poptart held between her teeth. She takes it out briefly. "See y'all later, thanks for the blanket I guess."

She stuffs the poptart back into her mouth and runs.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Sorry I was late," Spike says to April. "I fell asleep in the lair."

"I saw," April says dryly. "And…I guess I forgive you." She leans over and brushes at Spike's sweatshirt. "You've got poptart crumbs."

Spike shrugs and swipes absently at the front of her jacket. "Yeah, whatever. You were great with that Foot story by the way," Spike adds.

April opens her mouth to respond when her cell phone goes off. She holds it up.

"Who is it?"

"Vern," April says. She holds it to her ear. "Hey, Vern! What's up?"

She listens for a minute. "Mmm hmm. How's your arm?"

Spike shoves her hands in her jean pockets and stares at the ground as April talks.

Spike tunes April out as she stands, not noticing that April has finished talking until April puts a hand on her shoulder. Spike turns.

"He's thinking about coming with us to the lair one of these days," April informs her.

"Cool," Spike says in monotone. "Can we stop by the apartment first?"

"Sure…why?"

"I gotta get something."


	12. Chapter 12

Spike emerges from the apartment building proudly.

"What did you get?" April asks.

Spike points down at her boots. April looks down.

"Spikes. On your boots."

"Donnie helped me with 'em," Spike admits. "And it ain't just spikes. I got rockets in these things, an' skates. These things are gonna be a big help."

"You are such a weapons nerd," April declares.

"Thanks." Spike pulls her hair back into a ponytail. "I'm thinkin' about cuttin' my hair."

"Why?" April asks in surprise. "You have such nice hair!"

"It gets in the way. Can't take out a Foot soldier as easily with my hair in my face, can I?"

The author concedes that she has a point.

April shakes her head. "You love your hair."

"I'm not going bald for goodness sake, April. Just cutting it short." Spike leans down and hits a button on her boots and watches the wheels emerge from the bottoms. She starts skating. "C'mon."

April runs after her.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~  
_**April trots into the strangely quiet lair. "Hello? Boys?"

"Guys, yo!" Spike calls. "Where are y'all at?" The wheels in her boots retract, and Spike steps next to April. "You don't think-"

"I'm sure they're fine," April assures her.

Spike tenses next to her and spins, sending a perfect machine kick into the dark form behind them.

"Ow!" Raphael stumbles back slightly. "Hey!"

"Straw," Spike counters. Michelangelo pounces next, coming down from above. Spike grabs his ankle and swings him into Leonardo, who had a hold of April's arm. April herself has a hand at his throat. Leonardo falls over, bringing April with him. "April! You okay?"

"Peachy." April sits up. Spike turns to look at Donatello, who puts his hands in the air.

"What the blazes was that?" Spike demands.

"A test," Splinter's voice says. Spike relaxes slightly. "Which you passed, I must say. Well done, girls."

Spike nods and April smiles. Donatello and Spike help April to her feet.

Leonardo stands and nods slightly. "Good job."

"Yeah," Michelangelo says. "Ouch."

Raphael crosses his arms.

Spike swings a friendly punch at his shoulder. "C'mon. How'd we do?"

"Better than expected," he concedes gruffly.

"You're all heart," Spike says dryly.

"Yeah," Raphael agrees, swatting her arm back.

"Ouch," she mutters, rubbing the arm. "That stung a little."

"Uh, guys," Donatello interrupts. "Eric Sacks has been broken out of prison." He turns to them with a wide-eyed look.

April gasps and Spike stares. "C'mon, really?"

"I'm afraid so."

Leonardo takes control of the situation. "Alright, boys….and girls," he adds. "Here's what we're going to do. Spike and April stay here to monitor-"

"Like heck we will," Spike says, crossing her arms. "Dude, we helped take down the Shredder, and I've been in plenty of fights."

"If by plenty you mean eight, yeah," Leonardo says. "This is for your own protection."

"Protection my eye," Spike says grimly. "I'm coming." She grips her mace.

Splinter shakes his head. "Are you sure you'd be safe?"

Spike turns to the rat. "I'm positive, Sensei. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be going."

"Me either," April puts in. Spike points.

"You got a weapon?"

"Not really."

Spike shakes her head. "You ain't goin'."

April wanders to the kitchen and comes back bearing a frying pan and a knife. "I'm good."

Leonardo sighs.


	13. Chapter 13

"C'mon, Red, he's a scientist. What's he going to do, science us to death?" Spike asks.

Spike and Raphael are running across the top of a building at 10:00 at night, and Raphael looks grumpy.

"It still might be dangerous," he warns. "I don't get your determination for burying yourself in trouble."

"Fine one to talk you are," Spike retorts, jumping over a crate.

"Show-off," he mutters. Louder, he continues. "Look, I'm just trying to keep you out of trouble. None of us want you hurt."

"I know, but I'm fine," Spike says. She stops and grabs his elbow. "I can take care of myself. We took down the Shredder, for goodness sake."

"You just got captured," he argues.

She shrugs. "So did Donnie. I don't see you making him stay behind. Plus, I'm older than you."

He glares. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Her eyebrows pinch. The familiar guarded look came down over her face. The face that she had worn the night she had followed April up the side of the building because they heard voices. "I do what I want. Are we going to get this guy or no?"

She's off again, and Raphael sighs and runs after her.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike wakes up.

She raises her head, looking across the cell at a blank wall. She groans and lets her head fall back, hitting the side of it against something.

Her eyes widen.

Raphael.

She moves to stand, but something around her left wrist drags her down. Handcuffs.

She turns to look at the thing she is handcuffed to and takes in the image of Raphael, unconscious, and handcuffed at the wrist.

To her.

Spike puts her right hand to her head and tries to remember.

Sacks!

_They dropped into the building, reasonably quietly. The lights flickered on, and there stood Eric Sacks in the center of the warehouse, looking far more confident than he should have._

_Around him stood guards, some were Foot Clan soldiers, others….not. Men, all identical, holding strange guns._

_Clones?_

_Sacks smirked. "I would recommend not using those," he nodded at their weapons. "Unless you think New York City needs to be smaller."_

_Spike straightened, fixing him with a stare. Sacks sensed her confusion._

_"__We've hooked up bombs, you see. Around New York. I hold the detonator," he held the detonator up. "You come with us, or…Boom."_

_Raphael stepped forward. "Go where?"_

_"__Ah ah ah," Sacks shook a finger. "Can't tell."_

_Foot soldiers moved in, each with a needle. Spike just registered the piercing pain as the needle punctured the skin of her neck before slumping to the ground a minute later._

And that is why Spike was sitting next to an unconscious Raphael, who was now slumped so he was leaning on her.

Spike sighs.


	14. Chapter 14

When Raphael finally woke up, Spike was staring at him.

"Oh good, you're up," she remarks. "Want the good news, or the bad news?"

"What's the good news?" he asks.

"Well, we're alive."

"Aha. The bad news?"

"We're in captivity, they've been taking blood from you for a while now, and we're handcuffed together," Spike lifts her left arm to show him.

Raphael shakes his head to clear it. "I don't…Sacks."

"Correct," the person in question's voice floats over to them. Spike tenses and glares. "Now, don't be like that my dear."

"Why don't you go soak your head in cement?" Spike asks through clenched teeth.

Sacks merely laughs. "Wondering how I got out?"

"Not really," Raphael mutters.

Sacks ignores him. "We have a wonderful network, the Foot and I. Sure, you killed the Shredder, but we have other heads."

"Like Hydra or something," Spike whispers.

"Scientists," Sacks continues. "And others. We can still use your blood, you know," he adds. "Oh, and the handcuffs?" He shakes his head. "Truly a stroke of genius. They work so that you can't get out without this key," he holds up a key.

"Isn't that the point of handcuffs?" Spike grits out.

"Well yes, but the difference is, if you try to pick this lock, it explodes, taking at _least _your arms with it," Sacks explains.

Spike looks down at the material surrounding her wrist as Sacks leaves, looking insufferably pleased with himself.

"I'm gonna kill him," Spike mutters.

"Yeah? Get in line," Raphael murmurs. Spike looks at the tube containing his blood.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," he says.

She looks at him. "You're a terrible liar." He shrugs, raising her shoulder as well.

She sighs and settles to lean against the wall of the case. "I'm sick of these cages. Is it just bad luck?"

He shakes his head. "Why do you think they left us our weapons?"

"Because we can't use them with one arm," she says irritably. Her head falls back and her eyes close.

_I sure hope we get a rescue._

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Hours pass, and nothing has happened. Spike looks at Raphael, who is looking weaker.

"I'm gonna kill him," she assures him. "You're gonna be fine."

She bites her lip. _You have to be fine. I can't lose you too._

He nods wearily. "I know."

His head falls forward slightly, and he shakes it. "Gotta concentrate…." He raises his head. "D'ya hear that?"

"Your ears are better," Spike reminds him.

The door blows open.


	15. Chapter 15

Donatello rushes in. He looks at the case and his eyes widen behind his glasses.

"Are you guys alright?"

"I'm fine," Spike assures him. "But they were drainin' Raph."

"Sacks?" Donatello asks.

"Bingo."

Donatello crosses over to the case and starts looking for a way to get them out. "You got some sort of addiction to getting captured?" he asks Spike. His tone is joking, but Spike can hear the worry.

"Yeah," Spike jokes. The glass slides down in front. Donatello looks up at his brother.

"D'ya need adrenaline or anything?"

Raphael doesn't answer, just grunts.

"That's a yes. Load him up," Spike tells him. "How long have we been here?"

"Ten hours," Donatello says, pressing buttons.

Raphael's head lifts and he yanks on the cords connected to him, ripping them. Spike leans across him and helps get rid of the tubes. "You okay?"

"Fine," he says, standing straighter. "Let's go."

He starts forward, dragging Spike. "YO, hang on, I'm still attached."

Raphael stops and turns. Donatello lifts their hands.

"Huh."

"Don't pick it," Spike warns.

"I know," he says. "Fascinating. Never seen this tech in person."

"Yeah, interesting," Spike says. "Now what? Sacks has bombs set up all over New York!"

"Let's go turn them off then, and get the key," Raphael says. He looks down at Spike. "Can you run?"

"Do I look broken?" Spike growls. "Of course I can. The trick is to move in sync. Come on, it's like a three legged race. We gotta- put your right foot forward." Raphael moves his foot. "Good. And I move my left. Ok, start."

Donatello leads the way as Raphael and Spike follow, trying to keep together.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Donatello stops and holds up his hand and Raphael and Spike desperately brake. Donatello pushes open a door and jumps inside. He pokes his head back out. "No guards. It's a lab! You guys find the key, I'll read some files."

Spike and Raphael both nod. A voice startles them.

"This key?" They all turn. A dark skinned, slim man with glasses is holding the key smugly.

Raphael takes a step towards him menacingly.

Foot soldiers drop down around them.

"Crud," Spike mutters.

Donatello pulls out his bo staff and sets to work.

Spike slaps Raphael's shoulder with her free hand. "C'mon! We gotta help!"

He looks down at their wrists.

"You got legs, don't you?" Spike hollers. "And another arm!"

Spike and Raphael charge, fighting back to shell, kicking and swinging before Spike spins to face him. "Got it. Swing your right arm."

"That's the one that's handcuffed."

"I know!"

Raphael raised his arm in a punch and Spike poured her force into the blow as well. A Foot soldier went flying. Both pairs of eyes widen with surprise and excitement.

Minutes later, Donatello has his staff pointed at the man with the key. "Hand it over," he declares. "Or else."

Spike turns her body slightly and kicks the man in the stomach, leaving him wheezing for air. He drops the key. Donatello dives for it and then slides into position behind the computer.

"Hey, no bombs," he says, standing straight. "It was a trick."

"Let's get out of here then," Spike cries.

Donatello leads the rush out of the building. Minutes later, they're running home again.


	16. Chapter 16

Donatello turns the key and grins in satisfaction when the handcuffs unlock. Spike jerks her arm away and starts rubbing her wrist. "Thanks, Don."

"No problem," he says. Raphael nods his thanks.

They're on top of an apartment building in the cool New York night.

Donatello frowns. "I wish we got more information though. I did get one thing."

"What's that?" Raphael asks.

Donatello glances at him. "A name."

"Shoot," Spike says.

"A Dr. Baxter Stockman."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Baxter Stockman?" Leonardo echoes after Donatello recounts the events. "Never heard of him."

"I have," April says suddenly. "He was a good scientist, worked with my father. Evidently, now he's evil." She shook her head.

Spike groans. "Is there a scientist besides your dad who isn't?"

"Donatello," Michelangelo says seriously. "He's not evil."

Donatello shrugs. "I'm not exactly a scientist."

April smiles. "More so than the rest of us."

Donatello grins slightly as Spike applies a band aid to her leg.

April looks at Spike and stands. "Come on, let's get you home."

Spike's arguments are heard echoing through the sewer as April takes her friend home.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Donatello's laughter rang through the sewers as he escorted April and Spike to the lair the next evening.

"She almost got arrested?" he asks April through his laughter

"Yes!" April exclaims. "And then she just pulls out her license and waves it like a pro."

The "she" they are talking about is Spike, who does not look as amused as they do.

"Well, it's kinda obvious carrying a mace and a battle flail is suspicious," Spike mutters. "So yeah, I got a license."

"What's this?" Leonardo asks as they enter the living room. "License for what?"

"Spike almost got arrested for carrying her weapons, but she had a license," April explains. "You should have seen the poor officer's face."

Michelangelo snickers slightly. Donatello doubles over, heaving air back into his lungs. "Why were you carrying them out in the open?" Donatello gets out.

"Better than getting arrested for having concealed weapons," Spike informs him. She watches him gasp for breath. "You need a whack on the shell?"

He waves a three fingered hand at her and shakes his head, his glasses sliding down his nose.

Spike watches him for another minute before sighing.

"It's not THAT hysterical, for goodness sake," Spike mutters. Donatello straightens.

"Just the idea of you getting in trouble for carrying those things is ridiculous. It's for self-defense."

"The cops don't see it that way," Spike explains. "They see it as a threat to the public."

Raphael shakes his head. "What's a threat to the public is the Foot," he comments.

Spike nods. "Speaking of our friends, do we have anything on them?"

"No," Michelangelo says. "We got nothing."

April pats Spike. "No beating people up tonight."

Spike eyes Michelangelo. "I dunno….we got options here."

Michelangelo grins and swings a fist. Spike blocks and goes under for a playful uppercut.

April shakes her head and Donatello sighs. Leonardo rubs his forehead.

It's going to be a long night.


	17. Chapter 17

To say that Spike was in a bad mood would be an understatement.

It is a fact that when Spike Sanchez is sick, she can be extraordinarily crabby.

April sighs and pats her friend's shoulder. "You'll be feeling better soon, I promise."

Spike sniffles dismally. "I better," she says. Her words are somewhat hard to make out because of the terrific stuffiness her nose is accomplishing.

April shakes her head. "I'm heading down to the sewers. Behave."

"I always behave," Spike remarks.

"Behave well," April corrects herself. "I shouldn't be gone long. It's been a good couple days since we've seen them. Got any messages for them?"

"Tell 'em they owe me a bucket of ice cream for this."

"I'll give them your love," April translates. "See ya."

The door closes and Spike sits on the couch alone and sighs heavily before blowing her nose.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike is raiding the kitchen an hour later with "Great Balls of Fire" playing on her stereo when she hears the noise. She enters the living room quietly, holding a kitchen knife high. She relaxes as she spots the hulking figure on the fire escape.

"Come on in," she calls and then sniffles.

Raphael takes a small step into their living room and pauses again.

Spike sighs and then realizes that she probably looks a mess.

Winnie The Pooh sweatshirt and sweatpants and slippers are not the outfit she wears to the lair. Her hair, usually in a ponytail, is hanging loose around her shoulders to mid-back. Red eyes, red nose, and holding a bag of M&amp;Ms and a box of tissues, she decides that she definitely looks a mess.

She waves the hand holding the tissue box. "I don't bite. Often." She coughs slightly.

Raphael takes a few more steps into the room, looking huge in their small apartment. Spike shrugs and rips the M&amp;Ms bag with her teeth. She shifts her weight. "What're ya doin' here?"

"Checkin' on ya," he says gruffly.

"I'm alive," she assures him. "Your brothers around?"

"Nah. I'm on stakeout on this block….figured I'd make sure you were okay."

Spike shrugs. "That was cool, I guess. You don't have to do that though." She sniffles again.

"April said you weren't feelin' too hot, so…I dunno."

"I gotta cold," Spike informs him.

He raises an eye ridge and glances at the bag of M&amp;Ms.

"They help my mood," she says defensively. "Yah can go back to your stakeout, I guess."

"I set up the scanner Donnie wanted me to," he says. "I guess I'll head home." He looks around the small apartment. "What'll you do?"

Spike glances guiltily at the DVD stack by the television.

Raphael follows her gaze and turns back to her, eye ridge raising again.

"Lord of the Rings Extended Edition marathon always makes me feel better," she defends herself. "I watched 'em when April was at prom." She blows her nose.

Raphael shrugs. "I've heard they're decent."

Then they're back to staring at one another awkwardly until Raphael sighs heavily.

"Want some company?"

"That'd be great," Spike replies. She shakes the bag of candy. "I'll get a bowl."


	18. Chapter 18

Raphael had already called Leonardo and informed him that he'd be an hour or two late, something had come up.

"No, I can handle it," he assures him, glancing sideways at Spike, who is wrestling with a bag of chips. She gives him a thumbs up as the bag breaks open.

As Raphael hangs up he shakes his head. "Why am I staying here is the question."

"Because we got good movies and good food," she remarks, dumping half of the chips into the bowl. "Sit down and I'll get a couple of sodas." She starts heading towards the kitchen.

"This is going to help your cold a lot," he says, voice dripping with sarcasm. She comes back out of the kitchen bearing Mountain Dew cans. She points at him with a can.

"Quiet, Red."

He shrugs.

"I thought I told you to sit down," she continues, sitting a can of soda by one end of the couch. Raphael glances behind him at the empty couch. She shoves a shoulder into his plastron. "Sit."

He sits down. She plunks a bowl of chips in his lap and hands him the soda and opens the DVD case. "What're these movies about, anyway?" he asks.

Spike turns after putting the disk in and flashes a borderline wicked smile. "You'll find out soon enough." She settles on the other side of the couch. "Just wait." She sniffles again.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

It was about halfway through The Two Towers when the doorbell rang. Spike freeze halfway through blowing her nose and shoots Raphael a frantic glance. He stands and looks towards the door as Spike begins pushing him in the direction of her room.

"Hide," she hisses, closing the door behind him.

She answers the door.

"Oh hey, Irma," she greets the young woman standing outside. "What's up?"

"Hey, Spike," the brunette answers. She cocks her head and adjusts her glasses as Spike sniffles. "Are you okay?"

"I got a cold," Spike replies. Irma looks past her and raises an eyebrow at the bags of chips on the counter.

"Um, is April home?" Irma asks.

"Nope."

"Oh okay. I guess I'll stop by tomorrow." Irma turns to go. "Bye!"

"Bye."

As soon as Irma leaves, Spike closes the door and zooms back towards her bedroom, yanking open the door.

"Sorry," she apologizes. Raphael shrugs.

"Not like you asked her over," he says. Spike nods and heads out to the kitchen and comes back with two more soda cans.

"More?" he asks.

"Listen, Red," she begins, refilling the bowl of M&amp;Ms. "I am certain I will regret this entire thing tomorrow, but let me tell you, we got six hours to go."

Raphael stares. "You're kidding."

"No, I'm not."

Raphael shakes his head in disbelief and reaches for the bowl of potato chips before returning his attention to the screen.


	19. Chapter 19

About two and a half hours later, (early in Return of the King) there is yet another knock at the door. Spike dives for the remote, punches pause, and pushes Raphael in the direction of her room again.

"Vatican Cameos," she whisper-shouts.

She marches to the door and opens it.

There stands April.

Spike sighs with relief, opening the door further. April walks past her, and raises an eyebrow at the sight of the TV and the junk food.

"That's helping your cold a lot," April says sarcastically. She frowns. "Quite a bit for you to have eaten yourself."

Spike's eyes widen. "Well….I had help."

"You had company?"

"Yeah….." Spike shrugged.

"_You, _Ms. Antisocial, had company?"

Spike shifts her weight. "Well…"

"Actually, the company's still here," Raphael says, coming out to the kitchen.

"So that's where he went," April says, both eyebrows shooting up.

"I didn't ask him to stay, he offered," Spike protests with a sniffle.

April looks at her and sighs. She shakes her head. "What're you watching?"

Spike mumbles.

"Lord of the Rings," Raphael answers. Spike turns and swats his arm.

"Shhhh," she hisses. He shrugs and looks down at her.

"She's not gonna send you to bed," he says. Spike glares before coughing into her elbow.

"Lord of the Rings?" April asks. "Do you realize how long that is?"

"Twelve hours," Spike chokes out through her coughing fit.

April stares at her friend. Spike continues coughing. Raphael raises an arm and smacks her back gently with a big hand.

Not gently enough.

Spike shoots forward and grabs the counter, coughing gone.

"You okay?" Raphael asks.

Spike waves an arm and sucks air back into her lungs. "Yeah. You just knocked the wind outta me, that's all." She stands. "C'mon, let's finish the movie before the sun comes up." She pushes past his bulk, and bustles into the living area.

Raphael shrugs at April before turning and following Spike.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Exactly three and a half hours later, Spike lets her head fall forward and sniffles.

"Is that the sun?" Raphael asks.

"Yeah," Spike groans. "I feel terrible."

Raphael shrugs. "Toldja not to eat the entire bag of pretzels."

Spike turns and glares at him. "Well, you ate almost the entire bag of M&amp;Ms."

He shrugs again. "Whatever. I should've been back hours ago. Sensei's gonna kill me." He grimaces.

Spike shakes her head. "Tell him I kidnapped you."

He turns and raises an eye ridge. "Sure. He'd believe that."

"I could if I wanted to," she says. "What didja think of the movies."

He nods. "They were okay." He looks away. "I mean, I did enjoy 'em and all…I guess."

Spike collapses onto the arm of the couch. "Twelve hours and you enjoy them, you guess."

He stands. "I gotta get back."

"Bye."

"You need a bigger apartment."

She raises her head and shoots a glare. "You need a smaller body."

He shakes his head and jumps out the window. Spike drags herself over and waves half-heartedly before collapsing on the couch again. "G'night, April."

"Good night, Spike," April utters dryly from the kitchen. Spike blows her nose.


	20. Chapter 20

"Abigail…..Amelia….Sadie….Hannah….Natalie…" Spike's voice trails off in the quiet apartment.

April looks up at her friend from her book. Spike is glaring at her notebook, tapping a pencil against her forehead.

"School assignment?" April asks sarcastically.

Spike looks up. "Nah. I just had an idea, that's all."

"An idea?"

"It happens," Spike says defensively.

April laughs. "What're you workin' on?"

"I got a sudden story idea, you know," Spike says awkwardly. "That's all. Comin' up with names."

"Oh?" April looks interested. Spike leans backward and drops the notebook on the floor.

"Yeah I'm just gonna give up…" Spike mutters. "Lame idea."

April shakes her head and leans back again. "You wanna do somethin'?"

Spike opens her mouth as music fills the room.

"Is that Funkytown?" April asks.

Spike whips out her phone and answers it. "Whaddya want, Mikey?"

April starts to chuckle. "Funkytown?"

Spike points at her. "Uh-huh. Nah, we're not busy." She covers the mouthpiece. "He says hi."

April waves. Spike listens some more.

"Mmm hmm. I suppose. Yeah. Say that again?" Spike nods. "Okay. Lemme ask." She looks up. "He wants to know if you want to meet them on top of our apartment building."

April shrugs. "Sure."

"She says yeah. Okay. See ya there. Bye."

Spike hangs up. "They'll be here in a few minutes. About eleven."

April raises an eyebrow. "Eleven?"

"S'what Donnie said."

April stands. "I'll go put on my sneakers."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike stares at the dark sky. "This better be good," she mutters.

April shrugs and looks out over the skyscrapers of New York City. "I'm sure it is."

Spike stuffs her hands in her leather jacket's pockets.

"It's cold out here," she grumbles.

"I concur," says a voice. Spike jumps a foot in the air while April laughs.

"Darnit Donatello," Spike spins. "If you ever do that again, I'll kill ya."

"I'd like to see that," Donatello remarks.

"I could do it," Spike assures him.

"She could. Spike makes a point out of coming up with a plan to murder everyone she knows just in case," April informs him.

Donatello's eyes widen behind his frames. "That's not at all disturbing."

Spike crosses her arms. "It's a great brain exercise."

"It's also slightly creepy," Leonardo's voice says. Spike glowers.

"I hate you people," she says.

"Why?" Michelangelo asks, bouncing out of the shadows.

"Y'all need to learn to knock," she glowers half-heartedly down at Michelangelo. "You could give someone a heart attack."

"That's the idea," Raphael says.

Leonardo shakes his head and steps forward. "We have a training exercise, if you're interested."

April nods and Spike shrugs.

"Probably won't kill us," Spike says. "Shoot."

Michelangelo grins. "We got a scavenger hunt."


	21. Chapter 21

April nods with an interested expression. "What kind?"

Spike crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow.

"Well, I had Donnie here come up with a list of locations throughout the city. We have items there. The first team with all of them and back here wins," Leonardo explains.

"Teams?" April asks.

"Well, yeah, we'd leave you in the dust," Raphael mutters.

"That was polite," Spike remarks blithely. "Get the toothpick out of your mouth." Raphael ignores her.

Leonardo nods. "Okay, I'm a team captain, and the other team captain is Raph. I'll pick a team member first." He scans the others. "Mmmm….Donnie."

Donatello nods.

Raphael crosses his arms. "Ehhhh….April."

April nods and stands next to Raphael. "Okay. Sounds good."

"Spike," Leonardo says. Spike shoves her hands in her jacket pockets.

"Alright."

Michelangelo shrugs. "I guess I'm with Raph."

Leonardo points. "We meet back here. C'mon guys."

They turn and leave.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Donatello glances at Spike. "You gonna be able to keep up?"

Spike shrugs. "Sure hope so."

Leonardo whips out his list and examines it before handing it to Donatello. "Plot our course."

Donatello nods and pulls up his wrist computer.

Leonardo looks at Spike. "Do you know that Raph wasn't home until morning a couple days ago?"

"Yeah," Spike nods. "He was at my place."

Leonardo glances at her. "Oh?"

"Lord of the Rings marathon," Spike declares. "It was a blast. I felt horrible the next day, but it was great. And he doesn't talk through the movie like April does."

Donatello looks up and points. "That way. Follow me!"

He takes a running start and leaps to the next building.

Leonardo follows, and then turns to watch Spike. Spike backs up to give herself space, then starts running.

_C'mon, Spike, you got this._

She's out of building.

She jumps.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

She jumps. Her first thought is: _This was a mistake._

She glances downward.

_This was a really big mistake._

Spike slams onto the roof of the next building and rolls to her feet. "Well, that was fun," she wheezes. Donatello shoots her a reassuring grin.

"Not bad," he remarks. "We gotta work on speed, though."

"I'm sure I'll get a handle on it soon," she says, starting after Leonardo.

Donatello shrugs and leaps to the next building.

Spike sighs heavily and jumps after him, landing on her feet this time, albeit slightly unsteadily.

"Better," Leonardo appraises.

Spike shrugs modestly. "I try."

Donatello glances at his wrist watch. "Our stop is at the end of this block. Spike, you're gonna have to start moving faster."

"Fine." Spike grimaces. "Let's go."

Donatello takes off, with Leonardo right behind him. Spike starts running, and tells herself that this is beneficial in the long run.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

After a few minutes, Donatello stops and peers over the top of the building. "This is it. What did you put here, Leo?"

Leo shrugs. "Ribbon." He scans the ground. "Somewhere."

"Shhh," Spike hisses.

Leonardo looks up. "You hear something?"

She nods, and peers down into the alley.

"Trouble," she comments. She looks up. "Did Raph ever tell you that when we were captured a while back, they had guns trained on us?"

Leonardo nods. "So?"

"Well, the guns were unfamiliar, and the guys were all identical. I'm thinking clones with new weaponry."

"And this is relevant because…." Leonardo's voice trails off and he looks at Donatello. "There are some of those guys in the alley."

"Bingo."

Leonardo draws his swords. "Good. Think of it this way, Spike. Training exercise."

Spike groans and heads for the edge of the building.


	22. Chapter 22

Leonardo leaps down, swords drawn. Donatello lands after him, bo staff ready.

Spike peers over the side of the building and sighs.

"Here goes nothing," she mutters. She jumps, squeezing her eyes shut, somersaulting and landing crouched and unsteady, but on her feet. She stands and squints at the four men.

"Alright guys, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way," Leonardo says.

The men blink at him, and then bring their guns to their shoulders.

"Had a feeling that wouldn't work," Spike comments, diving out of the way as they start firing.

Donatello dodges to the side. "Looks like Blasterfire, you know, from a movie or something!"

Leonardo raises his swords and knocks the gun out of the one's hand, slicing the skin as he does so.

The skin peels away, revealing complex machinery.

"Robots!" Donatello cries. "Wow! I'd love to study them-"

Spike's mace crashes into the weaponless robot's head. "Maybe later!"

Donatello's staff spins as the "blasterfire" keeps coming, deflecting the bolts.

A deflected blaster bolt shoots past Leonardo's head and lands in the droid that fired it.

Spike swings her battle flail into the robot's torso, ripping the fabric.

Spike does a double take at what's underneath the fabric and gives a shout of surprise, backing away.

Sitting inside the robot's chest area is a pink, tentacled, brain with a face.

Leonardo's eyes widen. "Donnie?"

Donatello shrugs helplessly. "I have no idea! That's not human design at ALL, the brain looks organic….but how?!"

The brain's eyes open and it rips itself from its chamber, scurrying away on its tentacles.

"OH no you don't!" Spike's boot comes down on its top.

The brain squishes, and holds still.

"Deactivate the other one!" Leonardo shouts at Donatello.  
Within seconds, the other robot falls. The fabric covering the chest area rips as the brains make a run for it. Leonardo frowns and slices all three cleanly.

Spike grabs the brain by a tentacle and holds it up. "What do we do with this?"

"Take it back to the lair and have it analyzed, I suppose," Donatello says.

Leonardo nods. "I'll call the others."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Looks like a brain," was Raphael's helpful comment when they met at the lair.

"No kidding, Sherlock," Spike utters, throwing the brain onto the table. "Donnie?"

"He's right," Donatello says. He scratches his head. "I'm getting the feeling its more than that though."

Michelangelo reaches out and pokes the brain. "Ew."

"Don't touch it," Leonardo says.

April's nose wrinkles. "It seems….alien."

"Alien!" Donatello snaps. "That's it! Maybe they're aliens!"

Leonardo shrugs. "Is that possible?"

"Yeah," Donatello nods. "It's possible, I guess."

"So aliens," Spike remarks. "Can we kill it now?"

April nods. "Yeah, please do."

Leonardo picks it up. "I'll take it out and kill it. I'll be back."

Michelangelo grins nervously as Leonardo walks out of the room. "Aliens, huh? Hey, what'd you guys have for lunch?" he changes the subject.

"A peanut butter sandwich, and a banana," April says.

"Hard boiled egg, cold hot dog, and a candy bar," Spike says.

April looks at her. "Yum," She says sarcastically.

"I was rushed," Spike defends herself. She turns to Michelangelo. "Why?"

"Cause you guys are staying for supper, and I'm making sure you don't have the same thing," Michelangelo says. "Too dangerous for you to go up right now with aliens."

April pats his arm. "That's nice of you, but-"

"No buts," Michelangelo declares. He points. "Be back soon."

"Don't blow up the kitchen," Donatello calls.


	23. Chapter 23

"It's not that bad, Spike," April tells her friend.

It has been three days until the discovery of the aliens and they're biking to a rendezvous point where they were supposed to meet Irma Langstein.

"Yes, it is," Spike answers. "It's terrible."

"What's terrible?"

April's bike swerves before she gets it back under control. "Mikey!" she hisses into the dark alley they passed. Spike stops her own bike.

"Jeez, I told you, you're gonna give someone a heart attack," she informs him. She steps into the alley. April follows and waves at Michelangelo.

He waves back. "Sorry. So what's terrible?"

"Well, y'know that new job we picked up?" Spike begins.

Michelangelo nods. "Bad assignment?"

"Bad _co-worker_," Spike corrects. "Guy we knew in high school. Casey Jones." She shakes her head. "Man, I hated that guy."

"He wasn't that bad," April tells Michelangelo. "He was a hockey player, and…..didn't like Spike."

"Feeling was mutual," Spike mutters. "The boy picked on me all the time, April. The only reason he liked you was because you were pretty."

"Thanks," April says sarcastically.

"So now he's WORKING with us. He already made a snide remark to me." Spike frowns. "I'm 'the bodyguard'."

Michelangelo shrugs helplessly. "You are really protective of April, so….kinda fits."

Spike puts her hands on her hips. "I'm not her _bodyguard_. So anyway," she blows out a sigh. "That's just number 500 on my Annoying and Terrible Things list."

"What was number 499?" Michelangelo asks curiously.

"The scar I still got," Spike motions to her shoulder.

"How about 498 and 497?" April asks teasingly.

"Annoying questions and Raphael's toothpick," Spike shoots back.

"April? Spike?" a voice calls from the sidewalk.

The two girls whirl.

"Hey, Irma," April waves nervously to her friend.

Irma takes a step into the alley and adjusts her glasses. "Who're you talking to?"

"Uh," Spike glances over her shoulder.

Michelangelo is nowhere in sight.

"No one," April lies. "Just each other."

Irma raises her eyebrow. "Ooookay then. Are we going out to eat, or no?"

"Of course we are," April nods. "C'mon, Spike, let's go."

They went.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

_Spike hung off of Sacks Tower, with Raphael's hand around her ankle. She held both hands out, grabbing April's hand._

_"__Hold on!" Spike shouted._

_April looked up at her with solemn eyes and let go._

_Spike stared in horror as April fell towards the streets of New York City._

Spike sits up in bed, eye wide. She shakes herself.

"That was a long time ago. She's fine, I didn't let her go."  
There is a tapping at the window and Spike jumps. She slips into the living room and peers through the darkness at the window, where the tapping is coming from.

She opens the window and glares out at Michelangelo. "This better be good," she tells him. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Two o clock in the morning," he says cheerily. He holds his hand out. "Look!"

Spike squints at the black form in his palm. "It's a cat."

"It's a kitten," he corrects. "Isn't she cute?"

"I guess." Spike opens the window all the way and Michelangelo climbs through. "Keep it down, April's sleeping."

Michelangelo holds the cat out to Spike. Spike scoops it up. The cat yawns.

"Owner?"

"No," Michelangelo shakes his head. "No owner. Splinter said I could keep it as long as I kept it away from him. Rat and all."

The cat pushes her head into Spike's elbow. "You gonna name her?"

"I can't think of a good name," he shrugs helplessly. "You got one?"

Spike thinks for a minute. The cat blinks her eyes open and looks at her curiously. "Lily," Spike says at last. "I think Lily would be nice."

"Sounds good!" Michelangelo flashes a grin, then scoops up the cat. "Thanks a bunch. Bye!" He swings out the window and disappears.

Spike waves and sighs sadly.

Lily had been her baby sister's name. The curious look on the cat's face looked just like the wide eyed wonder her sister had always seemed to have.

She shakes her head. Maybe it was silly. But it seemed to fit.


	24. Chapter 24

"So, bang, unexpected aliens," Spike remarks to Donatello.

"Unexpected _abhorrent_ aliens," April adds. "It was disgusting." She scratches Michelangelo's cat's ears.

Donatello shrugs and pushes his glasses up. "Yeah. With the Foot clan. What do they want? Global domination?"

"That's what they want in the movies," Leonardo says. He shakes his head. "But probably."

Splinter nods. "You have an eye on the situation, I assume?"

Donatello smiles uncertainly. "Yeah. The scanners and stuff, I mean." He sighs. "All we can do is wait."

Spike nods and then shakes her head.

"Uh, Master Splinter?" she says quietly.

Splinter turns. "Yes, Sarah?"

"Can I talk to you? Alone?" Spike asks.

Splinter frowns slightly. "Of course. Come with me."

He leads Spike to a corner of the room. He blinks up at her. "What is it?"

"Well…..With the whole aliens thing and everything else, I was wondering if you would….I don't know…..Help train me," Spike says nervously.

Splinter squints. "Are you ready for that kind of commitment? I warn you, if you started, you'd work harder than you ever have before. It will hurt."

Spike bites her lip.

Splinter continues: "I'll let you think about it. But if you really think you are ready, I will help you, and so will my sons."

Donatello's voice breaks through the conversation. "We got some activity!"

Spike ties her hair back and straightens her back. "Let's go."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Leonardo points. "That one?"

Donatello glances up at the warehouse and nods. "Yes. Okaaay, how do we want to do this?"

Leonardo glances around the small circle. "Okay, here's the plan. Mikey and I'll head in the second story, and Raph and Donnie can head in the first floor."

"I'll be lookout," April volunteers.

"Great," Leonardo nods. "Spike?"

"I'm going with you guys. Can't stand sitting on the sidelines," Spike says with a shrug.

Leonardo glances at her. "You gonna be okay?"

"Dude, remember the Shredder?"

"Yeah, but these are aliens," Michelangelo points out.

Spike stands. "I'll be fine. I'll go in the second story with you and Mikey," she tells Leonardo.

Leonardo nods. "Move out!"

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike slips in the window after Michelangelo and peers over him. It's bright, almost blindingly so, but the room is empty. Leonardo looks out into the hallway. He turns. "All clear. Keep moving."

They do, until they reach the top of the stairs. Michelangelo points at the forms.

Foot clan members scattered in a crowd of robots, each with the little pink brains in the center. Michelangelo stares. "Whoa. That's sick."

"Wait for the signal," Leonardo whispers.

The door flies off its hinges.

"That was it," Spike remarks as Raphael charges in. "Reaaaaal inconspicuous."

Michelangelo leaps down the stairs, followed by Leonardo, and then Spike.

Donatello flies in, bo staff raised. "Aim for the brains!" he shouts.

Leonardo impales a squishy alien on his katana and grimaces as greenish blood splatters.

"Ew," Michelangelo makes a face before kicking at a Foot soldier.

Spike slams her mace into the brain of one, before kicking the robot backward. The blasterfire is everywhere.

Raphael barrels past her and Donatello goes in high on a Foot soldier, coming from above.

The chaos continues until there is a loud shout.

"ENOUGH!"

Everyone stops and turns to face the voice, heroes and villains alike. The dark man from the laboratory stands, holding a gun to April's head. He smiles. "That's better."

"Baxter Stockman?" Donatello asks.

"Correct, my dear turtle." He turns. "It is nice to see you again. Lay down your weapons, and the girl lives."

April shakes her head. "Don't." Stockman rolls his eyes and presses the gun to her temple.

"It's useless," he sighs. "I do hate you heroic types."

"We hate you villainous types," Michelangelo counters.

Leonardo lays his katanas down and glares. Michelangelo sets his nunchucks down, and Donatello's next.

Spike throws her weapons down as Raphael drops his sais.

A Foot soldier grabs Spike's ponytail and drags her forward as Stockman throws April toward them.

What happens next seems to go in slow motion.

While Spike shouts at the unexpected pain from her scalp, April falls forward, trips over a metal arm, and hits the floor.

Her head connects with the floor and the crack seems louder than it is.

The Foot solider kicks the small of Spike's back as Stockman turns. "I'll see you again, turtles. You've been most educational."

The Foot soldiers and robots leave with him.

"That was suspicious," Donatello remarks.

Spike reaches April first, rolling her over and feeling for a pulse.

Michelangelo crouches next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. April's eyes flutter open and she blinks.

She gasps and scuttles backward as best she can.

"Whoa, calm down, you were knocked out, it's okay," Michelangelo starts.

April stares. "You can talk? What are you?"

Spike laughs nervously. "Very funny, April. Knock it off. You okay?"

"April?" she repeats. "April…..is that my name?"

"April, that's not funny," Spike sounds slightly more panicked. "C'mon."

"That sounds right…" April glances up. "Who are you?"

Spike blinks scared tears away. "April….."

Donatello kneels next to April and feels her head gently. April flinches.

"What are they?" April asks.

Donatello looks up at Spike. "It looks like she's experienced memory loss," he says quietly.

"You can fix it right? She can get them back?" Spike asks.

Donatello shrugs helplessly. "It's possible. But you gotta be prepared, Spike."

"Spike?" April asks, leaning forward. She blinks at Spike earnestly. "Is that your name?"

Spike blinks again. "Yeah. Yeah, it is." She stands. "I'm gonna….see if there's anything upstairs."

She runs upstairs, and sinks against the wall in the hallway and puts her head in her hands and lets a quiet sob escape.


	25. Chapter 25

Spike sits with her back to the wall, staring blankly ahead as she listens to Leonardo's voice.

"Yes, you know us. For about a month, you've known us."

"Like this, anyway," Donatello interjects.

"Well yes, but we don't remember that far back," Leonardo says.

"What about that other girl? Spike? How do I know her?" April asks nervously.

Spike puts her head on her knees and hugs them.

She starts at the feeling of a hand on her back and she looks up. Michelangelo looks back with big, sad eyes.

"You okay?" Michelangelo asks.

Spike rubs her nose. "I-" her voice breaks.

Michelangelo leans forward and hugs her. "Shhhh. I know."

"She doesn't know me," Spike sobs into his plastron. "What do I do?"

"You gotta do what you've been doing for a while," Michelangelo says quietly. "Stay strong for April. Even if she doesn't know who you are and what you did for her, you do. Stay strong for her."

Donatello pops up next to them. "There is a possibility she will get her memories back at some point. Something may trigger them, something little she sees or hears or something. So….just be normal around her."

Michelangelo pats Spike's back. "There see? That's good. Just be normal."

"I can't," Spike whispers. "I can't go in there and act like that around her. I'm a stranger to her now."

Donatello nods. "I know it's hard. But you have to try. Come on, let's go back to the lair."

Spike wipes her nose and nods. "Okay."

She walks down the stairs and looks April in the eye. "Hey, April. C'mon, we're gonna take you to their lair. It sounds evil, but it's not," she assures her. "We're gonna try to help you."

"Okay," April nods uncertainly. "Sarah." She searches Spike's face. "That's your name, right? That's what…" she waves at Leonardo.

"Leonardo," he supplies.

"Leonardo said," April nods. "You're Sarah Sanchez."

Spike nods too and bites her lip.

_I __**won't **__cry, _she tells herself. She walks out of the warehouse, following Leonardo.

_I won't._

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike sits on the couch in the lair staring blankly at the wall.

Splinter and the turtles are in the laboratory talking to April, trying to explain about them. Spike squeezes her eyes shut.

She feels something rub at her leg. Her eyes snap open and Lily looks up at her, before rubbing against her leg again and meowing. Spike leans down and scoops her up, holding Lily to her chest. She buries her nose in the cat's fur and scratches Lily's head.

Leonardo calls from behind her. "Spike?"

Spike turns. "Yeah?"

"It's your turn," he says quietly.

Spike stands, still holding the cat and enters the laboratory.

April looks up at her with a smile. "Hello."

Spike nods. "Hey."

April folds her hands in her lap. Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Splinter all quietly leave.

Spike glances up at her. "Do you remember anything?"

April shakes her head. "They told me you go by Spike instead of Sarah. How come?"

Spike swallows thickly. "Reminds me of my parents too much."

"Your parents?"

Spike nods. "They're dead," she says shortly. "And so are my younger sisters."

April frowns. "That's terrible. I'm sorry." She sits quietly for a minute. "How did they die?"

"Car accident."

"You weren't hurt?"

Spike shakes her head. "Wasn't there."

April nods. "Ah. How long have I known you?"

"Ever since I can remember," Spike says thickly. "Preschool."  
April sits back.

"Tell me about yourself. How old are you?"

"Twenty two." Spike shakes her head. "And as for other stuff…..I like old movies and TV and music and cars but I like new stuff too. I draw a lot. My favorite sport is basketball, and I am a camera girl. I've been taking martial arts since I was eight."

April nods. "Any romantic entanglements or other friends?"

"No romantic, and the only other ones have been Vern Fenwick and Irma Langstein, who is a friend of yours, not mine."

April looks up. "Tell me about them."

"You might have a chance to find out about Vern from himself," Donatello says from the doorway. "Just called him up. Raphael's going to make sure he gets here okay."

April nods. "Raphael's the big one with red, right?"

"Yes," Donatello says. He adjusts his glasses and smiles nervously. "He should be back soon."

He backs out of the doorway and Splinter replaces him. "Sarah, come here, child."

Spike stands up numbly and makes her way towards the doorway. April calls after her.

"Goodbye…..Spike."

"Bye, April," Spike says quietly.


	26. Chapter 26

Splinter turns to Spike. "Are you alright?"

Spike shrugs. "Yeah. I'm always alright."

"You and I both know that's not true," Splinter says softly.

Spike rubs her eyes. "I will be. I mean, Donnie said there's a good chance she'll remember if she gets triggered…..I just don't know when that'll be. Maybe if I had stayed with her, this never would have happened. My stupid action fix," Spike growls, balling her hands into fists.

"You cannot blame yourself for everything that happens," Splinter says quietly. "Leonardo does that, and it does nothing except make you feel worse." He takes her hand and pats it reassuringly.

Spike swipes a hand across her face again and nods. "I gotta be strong for April."

Raphael enters the lair. "Back," he announces. Vern walks in after him, eyes darting everywhere. He spots Spike and a look of relief washes over him. He jogs over.

"Hey, Spike, you okay?" he looks at her with slight concern.

She shakes her head. "Yeah. April's in there," she points to the lab. "Go on in."

Vern nods and pushes open the door. April looks up and smiles. "Hi! Are you Vern?"

Vern smiles too, and shakes his head. "Yeah. I'm your Ex-Cameraman."

April nods. "Okay. Keep talking."

Vern sits down across from April and starts telling her about the day they met.

Spike frowns. "I got an idea." She turns. "I'll be back in a few minutes," she tells Splinter.

On her way out of the lair, Leonardo stops her. "Where're you headed?"

"Home real quick," she tells him.

Leonardo frowns. "You know how we'd get there quicker?"

Spike quirks an eyebrow. "Do tell."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike is plastered to the backseat of the Turtle Assault Van.

"Isn't this a sweet ride?" Leonardo asks from the front seat.

"It's something!" Spike shouts. She points. "Is that a disco ball?"

"Yeah," Raphael says. "Mikey's idea."

"I could have walked," Spike informs them.

"You said real quick," Leonardo points out. "This is quicker." He glances over his shoulder at Spike. "Right?"

"EYES ON THE ROAD," she shouts.

He looks forward. "I know," he says. He brakes. "Ok, go in, get your stuff."

Spike climbs out of the van. "There is a speed limit for a reason, my dear Leonardo."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike roots through her drawers when she hears the window creak. She pokes her head into the living room, where Raphael closes the window he just climbed through.

"Come on in," she says sarcastically.

He glances up. "Need any help?"

"Just looking for one of our photo albums," she says. She shrugs. "I dunno if you can help find it."

She disappears back into her bedroom.

Raphael shuffles in behind her. "What does it look like?"

"A book, brown cover, I think it's got a picture of us on it, though goodness knows I hate having my picture taken," Spike peers under her bed. She reaches underneath and pulls out a pair of sneakers. "I had wondered what happened to those."

Raphael leans over to her dresser. "Who are they?"

Spike sits up and glances at the picture. "That's my family." She picks the picture up by the frame and shows it to him. "My parents, and my two sisters and I."

Raphael studies the picture. "You look like your Dad."

"That's what they say." Spike kicks her sneakers to the corner of the room. "He was an engineer, you know."

"I didn't know."

"And then he became a soldier," Spike continues. "Mom was a nurse." She blinks hard. "Ian and Christina Sanchez." She sets the picture back down and turns back to the drawers. "Two younger sisters. Molly and Lily." She shakes her head.

"Lily is Mikey's cat," he remarks.

Spike nods. "I know." She pushes a notebook to the side and flips through a book underneath it.

"What happened to them?" Raphael asks quietly.

"They're gone." She shakes her head. "I don't wanna talk about it, thanks." She picks up the photo album. "Found it."

She turns and stares up at him. He nods. "Okay. Let's go."

He turns and swings out of the window. Spike heads down the stairs.


	27. Chapter 27

Spike swings into the seat in the back of the Turtle Assault Van. "Go!"

Leonardo turns. "You got what you needed?"

"Yeah." Spike sits back.

Leonardo steps on the gas.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike knocks on the door to the lab.

"Come in," April calls.

Spike pushes the door open and Vern stands up.

"That's my cue," he says. "I'll be back." He steps out of the lab and Spike walks in.

"Hey," she greets.

"Hi Spike," April says. She glances at the book. "Whats that?"

"A photo album." Spike sits down and hands it to her.

April opens to the first page and points. "That's me…..and that's you?"

"Your ninth birthday," Spike nods. "Yeah."

April flips through some more pages, remarking on some things.

_Will she ever be the same? Will I ever have April back? _The thought of spending the rest of her life with this April, the one with her personality but not her memories, was painful. It was still April, just without the experiences.

She bites her lip while April flips a page.

April looks up and shrugs.

"I don't know, Spike. I don't remember." She frowns. "Wait….we had a rat when we were younger. A pet rat."

"That was Splinter," Spike says hopefully.

"Yes…..no he was technically Dad's…." April puts a hand to her temple. "My head hurts."

"Don't overexert yourself," Spike warns. "Let's go home."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike had called in to where they worked and used a few of their sick days.

The next few days were the same. April being ridiculously polite, Spike trying desperately to trigger something, anything.

Ever since that first glimmer, no sign of memory recovery.

Donatello called once or twice to check their progress, and each time he said the same thing.

"We just have to wait."

Spike didn't want to wait. She wanted April better, and fast.

She couldn't stand April's smiles, because they felt fake. Like April didn't know her.

_Because she doesn't,_ she reminds herself.

One week after the accident, 'Funky Town' rang through the apartment.

April looks up and frowns. "What's that?"

Spike picks up the phone. "Mikey? What's up?"

She frowns. "Yeah…hang on." She covers the mouthpiece. "April, it's Michelangelo. They have an update on the alien situation."

"Aliens?!" April exclaims.

"Yeah. So, I'm gonna go."

"I'm going with you," April declares.

Spike points. "No."

"Yes," April says. "It could help trigger my memories!" She looks up at Spike. "I don't remember anything, but I feel like we were very close, that you were a good friend. I'd like to remember that."

Spike studies her. "You gotta stay out of sight."  
April nods. "Okay. Let's go."

**Thanks for reading! Reviews are cherished, don't be afraid to leave one!**


	28. Chapter 28

Spike pokes her head over the top of a roof and finds herself looking at Leonardo's ankle.

She glances up. "Are we late?"

Leonardo looks down. "We?" Spike hauls herself up.

"Yes, I insisted on coming," April pulls herself up too.

Leonardo frowns. "I'm not sure that was a good idea."

"It may trigger her memories," Donatello points out.

April beams. "That's what I said! Which one are you?"

"Donatello," he states. He points at Leonardo. "Leonardo, Raphael's over there, and so is Michelangelo."

April nods. "Thanks." She frowns. "So what are you all doing?"

Donatello points. "We think we've tracked down that Stockman guy. This was one of his old laboratories," he points at the building they're standing on. "So, we're going to check."

Spike nods. "Are you expecting a fight?"

Leonardo raises an eye ridge. "You automatically assume it's a fight?"

"Why would you have called me if it wasn't?" she asks.

Donatello shakes his head. "There may be a fight, yes." He glances up. "You staying up here, or going down? We're thinking that there may be reinforcements that may head to the roof."

April shrugs. "I'll stay on the roof."

Spike glances at her. "So will I."

Leonardo gives her an understanding look, and then heads to the edge of the building and jumps. April gasps.

Spike shakes her head. "He's fine."

A few seconds later, they are the only ones on the roof.

Spike sighs and draws her mace. April stares. "You use that?"

"Yeah, a lot." Spike turns. "It was my Dad's…"

April glances at her. "The turtles…were they good friends?"

Spike starts. This is the first time April has brought them up since the last time they saw them.

"I guess so." She thinks for a minute. "No….they're good friends. I mean Michelangelo flirts with you a bit, but he's just a good friend."

April nods.

They hear noises. There is a humming noise, and a pink triangle appears at the building's edge. Spike backs up.

"What in blazes-" she begins as several robots step through. "Fantastic." She backs up some more. "Get behind me, April!"

April slides in behind Spike nervously. "What are they?"

"Alien robots," Spike says shortly. She holds her mace in front of her. "Stay put," she shouts.

The first robot raises its gun and takes aim. Spike charges forward, dodging blaster fire, swinging the mace up. She knocks the gun out of its hands and tosses the gun to April.

The other robots are firing now too, and Spike ducks, a blast of fire singing the end of her ponytail. She dives for the brain, slamming the mace's head into the little alien's squishy flesh. April lifts the blaster and aims, and starts firing.

Spike drops and rolls, taking a robot's legs out from under it and driving her elbow into its brain.

"Shoot," Spike bounces back up and kicks the gun out of another robot's hand.

"I am!" April shouts. A stray blaster bolt grazes her and April goes down.

Spike turns and runs toward her, dropping and feeling for a pulse. She nods, springs back up, and faces the robots again, shakily.

She picks up the discarded gun and aims. She's struck by déjà vu.

Two months ago, same position, just facing future allies, not enemies.

Spike starts firing grimly. Her phone rings.

"_This is the periodic table, noble gasses stable."_

Spike reaches down and flips open the phone with one hand, bringing it up to her ear as she fires another round off. "Whaddya need, Donnie?"

"Nothing. No Stockman, but a bunch of aliens. How're you doing?"

"BIT BUSY!" she hollers.

"Oh. You need help?"

"IT'D BE APPRECIATED," she shouts.

"Be right up!"

_*click*_

Spike drops the phone and throws the drained gun away just as Leonardo swings down next to her.

Donatello jumps to her other side. "I think that's a portal. So we gotta shut it down or they're just gonna keep on coming through," he explains.

"Great. How?"

Donatello scratches his head. "Ehhhhh….I don't know."

Michelangelo leaps past Donatello, nunchucks spinning.

Spike reaches for her battle flail. "Let's find out."

Leonardo nods. "Let's move!"

**Thank you very much for reading! I really appreciate it. Don't be afraid to leave a review!**


	29. Chapter 29

Raphael speeds by Spike's right elbow and stabs two robots through the head with his sais.

Another gun lands at Spike's feet, and she bends down and starts firing, careful to get the robots and not the turtles.

She freezes when she hears a voice behind her.

"Spike?"

Spike spins and looks down at April. "Yeah?"

April sits up. "What happ-" she glances around. "Spike? Is Sacks-" she puts a hand to her forehead. "Ouch. Are the boys okay?"

Spike nods. "Uh-huh."

April looks up. "We were supposed to catch that movie a week ago, weren't we?"

Spike stares. "Yeah. Who told you that?"

"You did…last week."

Spike drops to her knees in front of April and searches her face.

April shakes her head. "Dad…..no wait the fire…" she glances at Spike. "The docks? You said we saw…Terminator….got fired…."

Donatello's voice rings out. "They closed the portal themselves! They're retreating!"

He lands next to Spike and frowns. "Is she okay?"

April looks up. "Donnie! Did you finish patching Spike up?"

Donatello gives her an odd look. "What?"

"After the Shredder. Is she okay? And Vern? He got shot….Raphael's shell?" April glances at Spike. "It cracked, didn't it?"

Spike grabs her shoulders. "April how do you know that?"

"I was just thinking….you and Donnie got captured, didn't you? They tracked you to the lair…my head hurts," April says. She shakes her head.

Donatello glances at Spike. "Something triggered it." He kneels down next to April and pats her head. "April, you gotta relax."

April doesn't hear him.

She's unconscious.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

April blinks her eyes open and focuses on the shape sitting next to her. "Spike?"

"April!" Spike shuts her book and looks at her. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. My head hurts, but….." her eyes widen. "I remember!"

Spike glances around to make sure the room is empty before bending down and wrapping April in a hug. "Thank goodness." Spike sniffles.

"Are you crying?" April asks.

"No," Spike pulls back shortly. She rubs at her nose. "No I'm not." She stands. "Guys, she's awake!"

April realizes she's on the couch in the lair.

Michelangelo barrels in with a wide grin on his face. He plunks down next to April. "You okay, Angel?"

"April," Spike corrects him. Michelangelo shrugs.

Leonardo pats April's shoulder. "Glad you're up."

"And remembering," Donatello adds.

April grins. "Yeah."

Raphael nods. "Good to have you back."

Splinter watches as April sits up. "What triggered your memories?"

April frowns. "I don't know. I opened my eyes, and there were the back of Spike's legs. She was fighting." She closes her eyes then opens them. "Maybe it reminded me of the first time we met the turtles," she gestures. She glances at Spike. "So thanks for being overprotective."

Spike nods. "Let's get you home."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

The next day, Spike stands in front of Splinter. "I've made my decision, Master Splinter. Yes, I'm willing to commit to training."

Splinter nods. "I must ask….why?"

Spike looks steadily at him. "So I am a more efficient fighter. If I am to become a valuable member of this team, I need to excel. No more accidents."

Splinter smiles and shakes his head. "Those are good reasons, child."

Spike plays with the singed end of her ponytail. "There's something I gotta take care of first."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Donatello steadies the scissors and Michelangelo positions the plastic bag. "Are you sure you want me to-" Donatello starts.

"Go ahead," Spike says.

Donatello sighs and cuts just above the ponytail.

A big clump of hair falls into the bag. April shakes her head.

Michelangelo zips up the bag. "Do you want this back?"

April grabs the bag. "Yes."

Spike runs a hand through her hair. "Better."

Leonardo nods. "Y'know, I remember hearing that cutting your hair is a symbol of change in the Eastern area."

"I know." Spike shakes her shorter hair out. "Whaddya think?"

April shakes her head again. "I miss your hair already."

Michelangelo shrugs. "You look different."

Donatello nods. "But not bad."

"It's good," Leonardo assures her.

Raphael doesn't say anything for a minute. He shrugs. "S'okay. You sure you can keep up with the training?"

Spike shakes her head. "I gotta. I'm determined to see this through."

"I got one word of advice," Leonardo declares. He leans over. "Don't get sent to the hashi. For any reason."

Spike looks at him warily. "Okay."

They walk home that night, Spike with a lighter head, and April with the bag containing Spike's hair.

Spike calls her sentimental and goes to bed.

_I gotta train tomorrow,_ she thinks. _I sure hope I'm up for it._

**There we go! Thank you for reading, and please leave a review!**


	30. Chapter 30

"I'm not going, April." Spike's tone was final. "That's the end of it."

"It's for work," April reminds her. She peers through the dark sewers. "You gotta go."

Spike shakes her head. "I'll send a present. I cannot socialize with Mr. Jones."

"His name is Casey," April says.

"I'll send food," Spike continues. "Cake."

"You can't cook," April tells her. She steps into the lair. "Greetings!"

Donatello looks up and grins. "Hello."

April points at Spike. "Do me a favor and convince her to go to this dinner at work."

Donatello frowns. "Why doesn't she want to go?"

"I already got sick once today," Spike protests.

Donatello pushes his glasses up his nose. "You got sick? Why?"

"Because somebody suggested turtle soup for the dinner," April explains.

Donatello puts a hand over his mouth. "Oh dear."

"It was Jones," Spike corrects.

"So, Spike ran to the bathroom, where she proceeded to vomit her guts up," April continues.

"Well, you know, turtle," Spike gestures at Donatello. "That's just gross. That'd be like eating a person."

Donatello makes a face. "Let's change the subject." He grins at Spike. "Ready for your first day of training?"

Spike nods. "I sure hope so."

"Sensei said something about going easy on you for your first day to figure you out," he assures her.

April shakes her head. "Do you know how many remarks Spike got about her hair being cut?"

"No, how many?" Michelangelo pops up behind her. April jumps slightly.

"Hi. She got a lot," April declares. "And they all said she looked better with it longer."

"Easier to get ahold of," Spike reminds April. "Less practical in a fight."

April shakes her head. "Ms. Practicality, that's you."

"Sarah," Splinter greets. "Are you prepared for training?"

Spike shrugs. "As prepared as I'll ever be." She shoulders her bag and waves at Donatello. "Promise to put flowers on my grave," she tells him.

Donatello chuckles. "Okay."

"Bye."

Splinter leads Spike into a room she hasn't really been in before. "This is the training room," he explains. "The dojo section."

Spike nods, glancing around.

Splinter turns. "We shall work on basic skills, strength, speed, agility….etc. first each day. Then we shall build on your fighting."

"Sounds good….Sensei," Spike adds hastily.

Splinter nods. "Today we shall work on your speed, keeping a strong heart."

Spike sets her bag down. "Cardio?"

"Correct."

Spike determinedly nods. "Okay. Whatever you say, Sensei."

_I can do this._

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"I can't do this," Spike declares to Leonardo, plunking down on the couch next to him. She wipes her forehead.

He glances at her. "Done sweating?"

"For now," Spike gasps. "Man alive." Her head falls back.

Leonardo gives her an amused look. "You'll be pleased to know I'm training you tomorrow."

Spike raises her head. "You'll be pleased to know I'm changing my phone so that when you call me it plays 'Kung Fu Fighting'."

Leonardo chuckles slightly.

Spike groans. "No cardio tomorrow, okay?"

"So what're you going to do if I DO make you do cardio tomorrow?" Leonardo asks.

"I'm going to suck it up and do it if it kills me. I signed up for this, and by golly I'll finish it," Spike says determinedly. "You guys didn't become ninja by wimping out."

April sits down next to Spike. "So are you wimping out of our dinner and dance at work?"

Spike turns to Leonardo. "Help me."

Leonardo just shrugs.

**Thanks for reading!**

**Okay, I have a bit of a slower stretch here, but the action picks up soon, I promise!**

**Please drop a review and let me know what you thought!**


	31. Chapter 31

"It's a costume thing," April tells Spike.

"Worse and worse," Spike says theatrically, sitting down on their couch. "I'm not going." She pulls off her gold colored boots. "I hate dressing up."

"I like it," April says. "And don't say dressing up. It sounds little kiddish."

Spike shrugs her red coat off. "It is. A bunch of adults dressing like fictional characters is little kiddish." She rubs at her left shoulder. "Owww."

"Splinter work you hard enough?" April teases.

"Not just that, y'know. I also exercised a bit this morning while you were still snoring," Spike informs her. April points at her gold colored dress.

"You never wear dresses," she observes. "Especially shorter ones."

"Only clean thing I had left. No idea where I got this," she says, lifting the necklace over her head. "It was in a set."

"I got it for you," April reminds her, chuckling. "And that black ring, and that gold bracelet," she remarks, watching Spike throw them on the end table. I got a good memory. So, remembering what a good friend I am, will you come to this party?"

Spike groans. "No."

April frowns. "Look, Casey'll be there. Don't you have to glare him down all night to protect me?"

Spike looks up. "Can't you glare him down yourself?"

"You enjoy it more than I do," April jokes. "Come on."

"What in blazes would I dress as?" Spike says irritably. "I got it. Thranduil, from the Hobbit. I can look down my high and mighty elf nose at everyone." She frowns. "Don't got the cheekbones for it though. Or the hair."

April shakes her head. "Someone you like."

"Sabrina Duncan," Spike says decidedly.

"Who?"

"Sabrina! From Charlie's Angels. I could try her."

"So you're going?" April asks hopefully.

Spike sighs. "Yes, fine, I'll go."

April grins. "I can get out my sewing machine!"

Spike stands and starts for her room. "Yeah."

"Where're you going?" April calls.

"Getting changed," Spike shouts back. "Leo's planning on giving me a beating, I bet, and I'm not getting this dress blood soaked."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Don't touch me," Spike warns.

Michelangelo freezes with his hand halfway to her shoulder. He draws his hand back. "How come?"

"Because Leonardo thinks I'm a punching bag," Spike tells him.

Leonardo shrugs. "You were supposed to block."

"Worked my legs clean off then decided to do a little 'ninja training'," Spike declares.

"Your legs are still there," Donatello points out.

Spike glares at him from the couch. He laughs.

"Look, if you wanna be a ninja-"

"I gotta work," Spike finishes. "And believe me, I still want to. But I am allowed to hurt." She rubs at her calf. "A lot."

Michelangelo pats her back sympathetically. "Oops."

"I said don't touch me." Spike swats at his hand as music fills the living room. Spike frowns and picks up her cell phone.

"Is that Fireflies?" Michelangelo asks.

Spike flips it open. "Hello April."

She makes a face. "No, I haven't." She listens. "Forget it." She shakes her head. "No Disney princesses. Unless it's Mulan." Spike shrugs. "Fine, fine, I'll think."

She hangs up and glares at the phone.

"'No Disney Princesses'?" Michelangelo quotes.

"We got a party at work and we're supposed to wear costumes," Spike explains. "For me, the choices are Princess Leia or Ripley."

"Or Mulan," Michelangelo adds.

Spike shakes her head. "Nope. No Mulan." She stands up and groans. "I better get moving. Thanks for the pounding, Leo."

"No problem," Leonardo says dryly.

Spike waves and heads out.

**See? Bit slow moving. I promise, action is picking up soon. Thanks for reading! Please drop a review and let me know what you think.**


	32. Chapter 32

April stares at Spike's shoulder.

"What happened?"

Spike glances down at her shoulder, then remembers the fact that she's wearing a tank top. She slaps her hand over it, but it is not enough to cover the huge patch of discolored flesh.

"Nothin'," Spike answers guiltily.

"Liar," April retorts. "What is that?"

"It's just a bruise," Spike answers.

"Where did you GET it for goodness sake?" April pries Spike's fingers off.

"Raph hit me, that's all," Spike pushes her away.

April gapes. "He _hit _you? Why?"

"Trainin'. He worked my upper body for a while, then was helpin' me fight." Spike shrugs. "Think about it this way, if that was a bad guy, I might be dead. I almost dodged all the way."

April frowns. "Are you sure you want to keep this training up?"

Spike stares at her. "Of course."

April shakes her head. "But you could get hurt. They're all a lot bigger than you."

"That's what ya said when I started my boxing bit." Spike shrugs. "See where I am now?"

April sighs.

"About this party," Spike begins. _Anything to change the subject._

"Ripley or Xena?" April asks, now distracted.

Spike makes a face. "Ripley. Can't wear that thing Xena calls armor. I _never_ show that much skin."

April smiles. "C'mon, let's go recreate Ripley." She pats Spike's shoulder. "I haven't forgotten about this though. You gotta be careful."

Spike shrugs. "Sure, okay."

She doesn't really mean it.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Nice move," Spike groans, grabbing onto Donatello's outstretched hand.

He hauls her to her feet and grins. "You _are _doing better," he assures her. "I thought Raphael was gonna cream you yesterday."

"He came close," Spike admits. "I mean, my arms and stuff are really sore today."

"That's why today was a no-weights day," Donatello laughs. He pats her.

April pokes her head in. "Spike, you gonna want a gun?"

"Yeah."

"Gun?" Donatello inquires.

"For Ripley. 'S who I'm goin' as for that party." Spike made a face. "From like Alien Resurrection."

"Does it matter which movie?" Donatello asks.

"Yeah. Cause now she's technically a clone, and with some characteristics of the aliens. I got super strength, and reflexes, plus the acid blood. And a link with the aliens. So she's a bit cooler."

Donatello raises his eye ridges. "How did that happen?"

"Because they cloned her and had the operation to remove the alien queen," she explains.

Donatello frowns. "Remove it?"

"It was in her, just ripping out of her chest before she threw herself into the furnace," Spike explains. "It was a complicated movie."

Donatello makes a face. "Sounds fun."

"It was," Spike assures him.

April sticks her tongue out. "Not really. And this party is in a week."

Donatello shrugs. "What're you going as?"

"Wonder Woman," April tells him. "I got my costume all ready."

"Where did you get it?" Donatello asks.

"I made it," April says proudly. "I'm an amateur seamstress. Doesn't explain how I'm gonna get Ripley's gun, though."

Donatello thinks. "Aw…..I'll make one for you," he offers.

Spike's eyes widen. "You'd do that?"

Donatello shrugs. "What are smart friends for?"

**Yes, another chapter. Trying to move this along. :D Thanks for reading!**


	33. Chapter 33

Michelangelo proudly grins at Spike, holding her arm out at an unnatural angle behind her back.

"You give yet?" he asks. Spike bites her lip and frantically runs through scenarios mentally, preferably ones that don't leave her with a broken arm.

She can't reach him with her other arm.

She brings one leg up and kicks backward, high, and twists to the side, trying to get her arm out of the lock.

Michelangelo winces as her boot makes contact with his thigh. She is just to the side of him now, and his hand is still around her wrist. She brings her other arm up, and slams a knife hand chop into his wrist.

He yelps and lets go, then dives in for a tackle. Spike's eyes widen and she spins so she lands on top, reaching out for a chokehold and setting her knee on his elbow. He grins and gives her the thumbs up before tapping out.

She sits upright, wiping sweat off her forehead.

"I let you win," Michelangelo says.

"I know."

Michelangelo grabs her arm, pushing her to the floor on her stomach, bringing her arm out and sitting on her back. "That time I didn't."

Spike huffs out a chuckle before tapping out herself. "Does that count as cheating? You already surrendered."

"In a fight, everything is fair," Michelangelo does his best impression of Splinter.

"Funny." Spike hauls herself to her feet as Michelangelo dusts himself off. She grimaces. "I'm gonna feel my abs tomorrow, cause I can't feel 'em today."

"Sorry," Michelangelo grins unapologetically.

"I'm sure you are," she grunts.

Donatello claps from the doorway. "Well done!"

"Thanks," Michelangelo bows.

Donatello rolls his eyes slightly. "I meant Spike."

"I lost," Spike reminds him.

"Ah, yes, but you've lost before," he reminds her.

"Every day this week," she groans.

"And in some of our actual fights with the bad guys," he tells her. "The Shredder?"

Spike grimaces. "Fun. We did beat him," she remarks.

"After you and Raphael lost to him," he agrees. "Yes." He holds up a large gun. "This is for you."

Spike leans forward and brushes it with her fingers. "Wow. You did great. Looks just like it."

"And it actually fires," he warns. "I forgot it was supposed to be fake until it was too late, and by then I was too excited."

Spike nods. "So don't shoot it."

"Please no," Donatello laughs. "Goodness." He carefully hands it to her.

"Safety on?" she jokes.

He nods. "Of course."

Spike's smiles fades after a minute as she runs her hand up the gun.

"What's the matter?" Donatello asks. "Did I get something wrong? I can redo it," he holds his hand out to take it back.

"No, the gun is fine, it's perfect," Spike assures him. She shakes her head. "Just….you remind me of my dad sometimes."

Donatello gives her a curious look. Spike looks up at him and shakes her head again, rubbing at her eye.

"Got some dirt in it," she tells him.

Donatello nods. "Of course."

She can tell he doesn't believe her for one minute.

**thank you readers! Virtual cookies to all who review**


	34. Chapter 34

April sighed. "Well, you look right."

Spike tightened the belt on her Ripley costume. "Yeah, you did a good job."

"Thanks," April smiled.

Spike nodded. "I'm still not happy about going to this party. I could be out on patrol or something."

"Nothing has happened in a week," April reminds her.

Spike shrugs. "I want something to happen. I'm bored."

April sighs. "You're always either complaining that you're bored, or complaining that you're sore."

"Splinter was tough on me today," Spike protests. "I hate cardio."

April rolled her eyes. "Poor baby."

Spike glares. "Hey, knock it off."

April whacks at her arm.

"So Michelangelo is sparring with me and then we got a party," Spike shrugs. "Sure hope he don't beat me too bad."

April smiles. "I'm sure he'll go easy on you."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"OW! Leggo!" Spike kicks her legs.

Michelangelo grins. "Nope." His arms are wrapped around hers, trapping her arms. He's leaning back so her legs are off the ground. She kicks backward, trying to connect with his knee.

"I think I won," he declares.

Spike grimaces as she glances around the room.

April is wincing, her eyes scrunched almost shut. Donatello sits with his first aid kit. Leonardo and Raphael both look slightly interested, like they're mildly wondering how this is going to turn out.

And then there is Splinter, leaning on his stick, watching intently.

_Not gonna let him down,_ she thinks.

She swings her leg back, sliding it past his leg and driving it forward, into the back of his knee.

Michelangelo winces and sets her down, preparing to re-tighten his arms.

She steels herself and leans back, bending at the waist, then the knee, straightening out as Michelangelo goes down backward, pushing his shell into the ground behind her. She drives her elbow into his plastron and pushes his arms off of her and rolls off him, bouncing to her feet.

Michelangelo rolls over and pushes himself up. "That was cool," he remarks. "Nice job."

She nods and wipes sweat off her forehead. "Wasn't sure if that'd work," she admits.

"I went easy on you," he reminds her.

She nods. "Naturally. Wouldn't want to kill me just yet, would you?"

He shoves her shoulder gently. "Not yet."

April stands. "You unhurt?"

"I got another bruise," Spike proclaims.

April nods. "Wonderful." She checks her watch. "Time to get going."

"Okay." She turns. "See y'all later," she calls.

"Bye, Lieutenant," Michelangelo calls.

Spike salutes and follows April out.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Lieutenant?" April asks.

"Lieutenant Ellen Ripley," Spike explains, pulling on her boots. She stands up. "Where's my makeup?"

"You never wear makeup," April reminds her. Spike gives her a strange look.

"It's for the blood and dirt and sweat," she explains. "I'll show ya in a minute."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Whaddya think?" Spike turns around.

"What's the green?"

"Acid blood. Don't touch," Spike jokes. "Do I look appropriately battle hardened?"

April frowns. "Somehow, you always do."

Spike's half smile fades.

"Let's just go," she mutters. "Get this over with."

**Almost to the action! Thank you for reading! Virtual hugs/cookies to all those that review!**


	35. Chapter 35

"Everyone saying hello to each other. How wonderful," Spike mutters. April digs her elbow into her ribs.

"Shhhhh." April smiles and waves at someone across the room. She straightens her tiara and turns to Spike. "I'll be right back."

"You go, Wonder Woman," Spike waves her off.

"They got decent snacks, anyway," a familiar voice says.

She spins. "Vern?!"

"Spike. Hello!" Vern smiles and nods. He takes in her appearance. "What are you supposed to be?"

"Ellen Ripley." Spike shifts the gun. "You?"

"Vampire. Good old standby." he shrugs. Spike shakes her head.

"What on earth are you doing here?"

"Didn't you hear? New job." He spreads his arms. "Someone's gotta take care of you crazy girls."

Spike raises an eyebrow. "Well, you gotta stand in line."

Vern nods. "I realize that. I'm just here to help, in case you need help." He glances across the room at April and shrugs. "In case Wonder Woman and Ellen Ripley need help. That makes sense."

"In case Wonder Woman and Ellen Ripley need help from a vampire," Spike adds. She shakes her head. "But it is good to see you, Vern. It's good to see at least one person that doesn't irritate me."

Vern raises his eyebrows. "I don't irritate you?"

Spike considers. "You used to. I'll admit that. You used to drive me crazy. I thought you were hitting on April."

"I was," Vern admits.

"But then the whole Shredder incident happened, and I guess going through that gave me new perspective." Her eyebrows pinch together. "That doesn't mean I like you."

"Of course not," he says seriously. "Spike Sanchez, liker of no one."

Spike brushes a strand of hair out of her face. "Quite right."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike bursts out into the streets of New York with April in tow. "Thank goodness that's over."

"It wasn't that bad," April shoves at Spike gently. "You were talking to Vern a bit."

"Why didn't you tell me he was there?" Spike asks.

April shrugs. "Didn't think you liked him."

"He's okay. But at least he's not _Casey._"

"Chill. I only talked to him a little."

Spike shifts her gun. "Well-do you hear that?" She cocks her head.

April listens. "I hear something. It's New York, what do you think it-"

Spike ducks into an alley.

April follows her and stops short. "Oh."

A tall, dark skinned wiry man is holding a gun to a young woman, around mid-twenties. He turns slightly as Spike raises the gun.

"Spike, no," April hisses. "No gun."

"I suggest you put that toy down," Spike says quietly and clearly. "Or you may regret it."

The guy laughs slightly. "You don't know who you're dealing with."

"I got an idea." Spike adjusts the gun. "Some lowlife, third class criminal."

He shakes his head. "Wrong." He keeps the gun pointed at the terrified woman. "Ever hear of the Purple Dragons?"

"That scummy gang? Sure." Spike nods. "What about 'em? You sayin' you're part of that league?"

"You could say that. I have connections."

"Too bad for you," Spike shrugs.

The guy shrugs as well. "Indeed?" He casually pulls the trigger and the bullet fires into the young woman.

Spike's eyes widen and she sucks in a breath as the woman and April scream.

"Now you gonna use your fancy toy? Blow me to pieces?" The man aims the gun at her.

"Believe me, I don't need it," Spike growls.

She drops the gun and dives for him, dodging bullets and knocking into his chest, shoving him backward. She yanks the gun out of his hand, turning it and using the butt of the pistol to bash his nose in.

April rushes to the woman's side. "Spike, she needs help."

"Call an ambulance then," Spike shouts, driving her elbow into his collarbone. She hears a snap and grins in satisfaction before standing and planting a boot in his ribcage. "I think you need some time downtown," she snarls.

April looks up from her phone. "They're on their way. What are you doing?"

Spike lifts the man by his collar. "Taking this guy to the police." She glances at April. "Meet you at the hospital."

April nods as Spike grabs her victim and drags him out of the alley, and down the street before glancing up at the building.

She grins savagely at the Purple Dragon. "How'd you like to take the scenic route?"

**Told you! Action! Thanks for reading! Reviews are fuel!**


	36. Chapter 36

"She didn't make it," April says quietly.  
Spike freezes.

"What?"

"The girl didn't make it. Died in the ambulance." April lowers her head and wipes at her eyes.

Spike's shocked expression screams the thoughts swirling in her head.

Spike sinks down on a bench, staring in front of her.

"Spike?" April whispers. "You okay?"

Spike stands abruptly and kicks the hospital wall. "She should have lived!" she bellows, hands going to her head. She grabs fistfuls of her own hair. "I shoulda shot him when I had the chance!"

"That would've put you at the same level," April says softly. "Don't blame yourself."

"How can I not?" Spike's shoulders shake. "She coulda been a wife. She was a mother, for all I know. And if she was," she raises her head and fixes her eyes on April. "It's my fault. If she has kids, they don't have a mother anymore. No mom. If she had a husband, he's gotta live without a wife. And why?" Spike's eyes grow cold. "Because I hesitated. I coulda blown his head off-"

"That's murder," April puts a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I understand you're upset. I am too. But there's nothing we can do now."

Spike nods. "You're right." She turns. "'Cept one thing."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike slams her hands down on the table separating herself and the Purple Dragon and bores her eyes into his.

"Who are you?" she grates.

He leans back. "My name is Xever." He raises an eyebrow. "And you must be Batman."

Spike glowers. "No. But I have a friend who can stand in for him." She stands straight. "Who are your 'connections' anyway?"

Xever smiles unhurriedly. "Ah, you first. Who are yours?"

Spike barks a laugh. "You wouldn't believe me."

"Wouldn't I?"

She turns. "Probably not." She leans forward. "Who are you working with?"

"The Purple Dragons, of course." He leans back. "I am a bit of a freelancer, though."

Spike grits her teeth. "Who are your 'connections'?"

He doesn't answer.

Spike's eyes go hard. "A woman is dead because of you."

"Another one?" he asks carelessly.

Spike's hand shoots forward and closes around his neck. "Listen to me. I can gather that that wasn't your first kill."

"And I won't be yours," he says quietly. "Will I? You've killed before."

She lets go of him and snaps back like she's been burned. "No. Well…..not in cold blood. I may have killed, but it was in battle, and for a good cause. You killed a woman for no reason. Tell me why she's dead, and you're alive."

"I was simply making a withdrawal," he smiles thinly. "You got in the way. I may have let her live."

Spike clenches her fists. "Liar."

He shrugs. "Ah, well. You know." He glances at her. "You were with April O'Neil."

Spike remains stone faced.

"Oh yes, I recognized her," he says. "Tell her this: The Foot is rising. We have lost once. Never again."

Spike turns and signals the guard outside the door to let her out, trying to hide her surprise.

"I look forward to our next meeting," he calls. "Next time I shall not underestimate you."

Spike shakes her head and leaves.

**Another chapter!**

**Thanks for reading! Please review.**


	37. Chapter 37

"That was too risky," Leonardo says. He crosses his arms. "What if you had gotten hurt?"

"I didn't." Spike crosses her arms too. "See?"

Leonardo shakes his head. "Why do you feel the need to throw yourself in the middle of danger?"

"You do too," she shoots back.

"I have more training, and….I'm just harder to kill."

"Look, _Captain,_ I don't like arguing with you-"

"Sarah," Splinter calls. "Come here, would you?"

Spike turns and walks to the doorway to the dojo section. "Yes?"

Splinter turns to her from inside the dojo. "Closer, my dear."

Spike steps into the dojo and walks closer.

Splinter sighs. "Something troubles you, child."

Spike scrubs at her eyes. "Yes."

Splinter looks up at her. "What is it?"

Spike blinks hard. "I…..tried to stop a mugging." She stops and swallows. Splinter waits patiently. "I wasn't fast enough. I didn't make a decision soon enough. A woman died because I didn't size up the situation in time."

Splinter sighs again. "Oh, Sarah. So you think you weren't fast enough?"

"I wasn't," she chokes out.

Splinter grasps her hand and pulls her gently to her knees so they are at eye level. "You did your best. That is the point of your training, so you will grow better yet. The death was not your fault. You did not kill her. Am I correct?"

Spike nods. Splinter squeezes her hand. "You are not to blame."

She nods again. "Thank you, Sensei."

Splinter smiles slightly. "You're welcome."

Spike takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I'm ready to train, now."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~ _**

"I wasn't ready," Spike groans. She presses a hand to her abdomen. "I cannot feel my midsection."

"That'll change tomorrow," Donatello teases from his computer. "Did he run you through his one thousand, one hundred and eleven crunch routine?"

"No, only one hundred."

"Huh, he went easy on you," Donatello muses.

"Funny. You've been at boot camp longer, soldier."

Donatello smiles slightly.

"We got anything?" Spike wanders over and leans over his shoulder.

"Maybe." Donatello frowns and taps his keys. "Getting a signal from…..outside the city." He glances up at a monitor. "The woods."

"Huh."

Leonardo joins them. "The woods?"

"That's what it says," Donatello gestures. He glances at Leonardo. "What should we do?"

Leonardo hums thoughtfully. "Let's go check it out."

"It's a couple hours away," Donatello reminds him.

"So we take the Assault Van."

Donatello nods. "Alright. You're the boss." He stands and picks his staff up, sliding it into it's strap. "Let's go to the woods!"

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"You know, I'm really glad you put more seats in this," April remarks. "It coulda got cramped."

Michelangelo shoots her a winning smile. "I could sit on the floor for ya," he offers.

"That's okay." April smiles back.

Spike gives Michelangelo an irritated look. "You wanna stop flirtin'?"

"I'm not!" he protests. "I'm just naturally nice."

"You're naturally somethin'," Raphael mutters.

Donatello turns around from the passenger seat. "Can you guys pipe down a little?" He holds the map up. "It's hard enough navigating like this, much less with noise."

"Sorry," April says in a stage whisper.

Michelangelo leans back and grins at her. "Guess what?"

"What?" April asks, keeping her voice down.

"We got a birthday comin' up," he announces.

"Oh?" April leans forward. "You guys?"

"Yep." Michelangelo leans over. "Gonna be eighteen."

"Already?" Spike twists in her seat. "Thought y'all were younger than that."

"At least, that's what Splinter says." Michelangelo shrugs. "So we just go with that."

"Y'all almost full-fledged adults," Spike remarks.

"Ugh, don't talk like that," Michelangelo groans. "Not that old yet."

Donatello turns around and glares.

"Shhhh," he hisses.

"Shhhh," Michelangelo whispers back.

Donatello rolls his eyes.

"You know what this trip could use?" Michelangelo continues. "Music."

"First one to start singing gets thrown out of the van," Raphael warns.

Leonardo sighs. "This is going to be a long couple hours."

**Boom! I am on fire when it comes to churning out chapters if I do say so myself. This is my longest fic to date, actually, and thank you all for reading and making me happy! Please leave a review and tell me what you thought! **


	38. Chapter 38

"Are we there yet?" Michelangelo borderline whines from the back.

"Yes, unless I'm completely lost," Donatello says unreassuringly. Leonardo peers ahead.

"Well, this is the woods. We gotta go on foot."

Raphael leans over and pushes Spike, who had decided that the best way to spend the trip was by taking a nap. She starts awake and swats at him groggily.

"I'm up," she says. She stretches and unbuckles. "Time to get lost."

Donatello takes out his scanner and exits the van. "Hopefully not."

"Oh, I guarantee we will get lost," she assures him, opening the door and climbing out. "That is the purpose of woods."

Leonardo rolls his eyes and slams his door shut. "Stick together, and be careful." He starts into the darkness.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Fifty eight bottles of pop on the wall, fifty eight bottles of pop," Michelangelo sang. "You take one down, you pass it around, fifty seven bottles of pop on the wall!"

Leonardo sighs.

Raphael's eye twitches.

Spike turns. "Look, we realize you're trying to break the spooky atmosphere, but….let's compromise. Hum. How about you hum instead?"

Michelangelo sighs. "Fine."

"Where'd he get all the pop anyway?" Donatello mutters, raising the scanner again. He whacks it. "C'mon you stupid thing."

April peers over his shoulder. "Is it malfunctioning?"

"No, it's just hard to get a reading in here." He frowns. "Wait…got something maybe…..fifteen meters off?" He points left. "That way."

Leonardo peers through the forest. "Okay." He glances around. "Be prepared for _anything._"

The fifteen meters go by fast.

Donatello glances at the wooden building in front of them. "Huh. This is where the signal is coming from."

"Okay guys, keep quiet, and-" Leonardo begins. Raphael kicks the door open. "Forget it," Leonardo sighs.

Raphael's voice comes back to them. "It looks like a lab or somethin-" his voice cuts off and he grunts. Three seconds later, he sails through the doorway. April ducks and Raphael slams into Michelangelo and Spike.

They both go over. "You gotta be _jokin'_," Spike wheezes from underneath. She pushes. "What the heck happened?"

Raphael climbs to his feet and shakes his head. The door splinters as something larger than Raphael comes out.

Huge frame, green skin, a large shell.

"It's another turtle," April gasps, stepping backward into Donatello. He puts a hand on her shoulder.

"How?"

The turtle cocks it's head. "You could ask," it says in a gruff voice.

Michelangelo stands up. "You can talk?"

"'Course. Can't you?" It cracks it's thick neck.

Spike shrugs. "Okay," she says, trying to keep her voice steady. "Uh, how are you….what?"

A familiar form steps out of the building too. "Allow me to shed some light on the situation."

"Sacks," April spits. Eric Sacks nods coolly.

"Ms. O'Neil." He turns to the group. "This," he gestures at the turtle. "Is success. I have a partnership with another group who has great interest in you." He smiles thinly. "I have something they need, and they have something I do." He nods. "Codenamed Slash, this is our first attempt at recreating mutagen."

"It was destroyed," Leonardo says slowly.

Sacks laughs. "That batch, yes. We have more. Oh, so much more. And…your blood. Combining them, we created this."

Slash nods.

"Partially to get rid of you," he says in boredom. "Get them."

**Hello yes Sacks is back sorry. And there is another older character. Thanks for reading, and please review and tell me what you thought.**


	39. Chapter 39

"Partially to get rid of you," Eric Sacks says in boredom. "Get them."

Slash charges the group. Spike pushes April out of the way and ducks a massive fist, shuffling sideways. "Uh, Leo? Any chance you have a plan?"

"Uh, don't get hit," he offers.

"Thanks," Raphael says sarcastically. He draws his sais.

Leonardo draws his swords. "Find out his weak spots!"

Michelangelo jumps, nunchucks spinning, and kicks both legs into the larger turtle's plastron. It staggers a little, before wrapping his hand around Michelangelo's leg and hurling him into Donatello.

"Catch me!" Michelangelo shrieks as he makes impact.

Donatello stumbles into a tree and drops his brother.

"April, I advise you hide," Michelangelo groans, getting to his feet.

Spike boots April up a tree. "Get goin'!"

She turns and draws her mace. Slash stalks toward her. "Aren't you a little small to be in this?" Slash growls.

She shrugs. "Ehhhh." She ducks a fist again, popping up and slamming the mace into its jaw.

Slash staggers. "You got spirit."

"So do I," Donatello cries, coming in high with the staff from behind. He cracks the pole over Slash's head.

Slash turns slowly, chuckling. "A stick?"

Donatello glares. "Bo staff. And it's metal."

The huge turtle shrugs. "Same difference." He grabs the staff and yanks it out of Donatello's hands, snapping it in two.

"Darn," Donatello says. He takes a step backward before jumping and executing a perfect dropkick.

"Nice," Spike remarks, smashing the mace into the back of Slash's knee. She ducks as Leonardo flies overhead, landing on Slash's shoulders and digging a katana into his shoulder.

Slash roars in pain and raises his arm to whack at Leonardo.

Raphael punches Slash while he's distracted. Michelangelo rushes back, cracking his nunchucks across Slash's eyes.

There is a snapping sound and a thick branch falls out of a tree and lands directly in front of Donatello.

April waves at him. "Will that work?"

Donatello flashes her a grin. "Certainly. Thanks!"

Slash smacks Leonardo off, before reaching behind him and grabbing Spike's leg. Her eyes bug.

"Oh boy."

He lifts her off the ground and backs away from the others. "Lay down your weapons, or she dies."

"Great." Spike holds her shirt up, fighting gravity. "Fabulous. I'm in a cliché. I hate these. And even if they do put the weapons down, you'll kill me anyway."

Slash gives her a strange look. "You are very confident for someone who is about to die."

She shrugs. "Almost died before." She waves at Michelangelo's worried expression. "I'm fine."

"You're about to be dead," Slash informs her.

"That's fine. Better this than die falling down the stairs because that'd just be _embarrassing._" She swings. "Do I get any last words?"

"You're getting several," Slash growls, tightening his hold.

"Look behind you," she grins.

Slash turns just in time to see the missile coming. Spike swings the mace at his wrist. Slash swings her into Leonardo, ending with a great head on collision with his plastron. She shakes her head as she falls. "Everybody down!" she shouts.

The turtles throw themselves to the ground as the explosion seems to rock the forest.

A few minutes later, Leonardo glances around. "Everyone okay?"

Everyone nods.

Donatello holds up his scanner. "New dot. Something's approaching….." He walks forward into the woods warily.

A few minute later he comes back with April. "Good news!" he shouts. "It was only April."

"Did you fire that missile?" Leonardo asks.

"I did," April replies, panting. "Never run that fast before in my whole life."

Michelangelo picks April up in a hug. "Thank goodness for you, Angelcakes."

Spike rubs at her ankle. "Nice goin', April."

Donatello glances down. "Leg okay?"

"I'll live," she says. "I once had my leg broken."

"How?" Raphael asks, hauling her to her feet.

"Well, I was wrestling with this kid in tenth grade," she explains. "And he put me in a leg lock. But, he didn't stop, and….crack!"

Michelangelo winces. "Ow."

"That's what I said," she informs him. She sighs. "Like my head." She scratches at her scalp and comes back with bloody fingers. "Slight cut on the scalp." She glares. "Sacks got away."

Leonardo turns back to face them. "That's not all." He points grimly. "Slash did too."

"She fired a missile! How is he not dead?!" Spike exclaims.

"The mutagen must be powerful enough that he survived," Donatello muses.

"Whatever they're planning, it's going to be big," Leonardo says seriously. "We need to be ready. We're winning the battles, but not the war." He turns his ice blue eyes on the group. "Time we did something about that."

**Thank you, readers! Please tell me what you thought, it seriously helps.**


	40. Chapter 40

Leonardo nods. "Nice job."

Spike pulls on her boots. "I can do yoga," she declares. "That's easy."

"Well I hope our sparring session is a bit less boring." Leonardo grins.

Spike groans. "I bet it will be."

Leonardo settles into a defensive stance. "Come on. Give me your best shot."

Exactly thirty seconds later, Leonardo has her pinned and in a choke hold.

She taps out.

He stands up. "Longer than last time."

Spike glares. "I hate you so much."

He holds out his hand. Spike waves it away and stands, dusting her jeans off. She sighs.

_Boom!_

Spike and Leonardo spin, glancing around.

"What was that?" Leonardo calls.

Michelangelo pokes his head in and shrugs. "Came from Donnie's lab, man. I dunno." He picks up Lily and strokes her. "He blew something up again."

Donatello stumbles out of his lab, choking and coughing. "That wasn't supposed to happen."

"You okay?" Leonardo asks.

He nods. "Perfectly," he hacks out.

April comes out behind him, coughing as well. "Bleah."

"What _happened_?" Spike demands.

"Dumped a bottle into the mixture by accident," he explains. He coughs again. "Oops."

He shakes his head. "I'll clean up."

"I'll help," April offers.

They disappear back into the lab.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike lays on the couch, stroking Lily. Her thigh-high leather boot sit next to the end of the couch.

She stops petting the cat when she notices Donatello staring at her from a few feet away. She sits up. "What's up, Don?"

He shakes his head. "Nothing."

She raises an eyebrow. "….kay." Lily jumps out of her lap and scurries away, between Donatello's legs. He doesn't even blink. "Do I have something on my face?" Spike asks.

"A nose, two gunmetal blue eyes, and pink, full, lips," he responds, intensely studying her face.

She inches away. "Uh…..sure. I meant is there anything wrong with it?"

"Of course not," he responds. "Can I get you anything?"

"Uh, no. Have you been sleeping well?" she asks.

He nods, smiling gently. "Quite well. And yourself?"

"Fine. That just reminded me, I have to use your bathroom," she says. She vaults over the back of the couch and makes a break for the hallway. _What's with him?_

She runs into a wide-eyed Raphael in the hallway. "What's with April?" he asks.

"What do you mean, what's up with April?" she hisses. She glances behind her.

"She keeps hangin' on me," he explains.

"Her too?" She shakes her head. "Donnie's been creepin' me out big time, boy."

"Just them?" Leonardo joins the conversation. "It's just them?"

"Yeah," Michelangelo squeezes into the hallway and shudders.

Raphael slaps his forehead. "Betcha it had somethin' to do with those chemicals," he points out.

"Or it's a prank," Michelangelo suggests.

Leonardo frowns. "Donatello's never played pranks. I gotta say Raph might be right," he remarks. "We have to get into his lab." He turns to Spike. "Can you get in there and get him to show you his work and what happened?"

"Why me?" she complains.

"Because he's quite taken with you," Leonardo explains. "Flirt your way past!"

"I can't flirt!" she says despairingly. "I never could get the hang of it. I never _wanted _to get the hang of it. What am I supposed to _say?!_"

Leonardo shrugs. "Make it up as you go. Think of something." He pushes her out. "Now go strut your stuff."

"Show off your legs!" Michelangelo calls reassuringly. "Or arms. Some muscled part of your body."

Spike considers whipping something at him.

She squares her shoulders and marches back into the living room.

_Even though I'd rather fight a lion._

**My Dear Readers! Yes, I know! Weird! But I promise to you, number 1: My brain died,**

**Number 2: Someone suggested 'opposites attract' to me.**

**Number 3: this comes into play later.**

**So my point: Thank you for reading and please bear with me! Please review!**


	41. Chapter 41

_C'mon. Man up. We've got a problem to solve._

**_But this is _****_Donnie._**

"Shut up," Spike hisses, slapping her forehead. She shrugs on her leather vest and pushes open the door to Donatello's lab.

He glances up with a smile. "Sarah!"

"Spike," she corrects for what seems like the thousandth time.

He nods. "Whatever you wish."

Spike nods. "Riiiiight." She leans against the wall. "Uhhh…..whatcha workin' on?"

He glances up with a start. "You really want to know?"

"Of course," she replies, drumming her fingers against her thigh.

"It's a chemical combination, I was trying to wage chemical war on our enemies," he explains. "Non-lethal bombs and the like."

Spike nods again. "Ah. Hey, remember that explosion earlier?" she asks casually.

"Sure. What about it?"

"What….caused that?"

He shrugs. "Some chemicals."

"Can I see?"

Donatello stands. "Of course, Spike."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike passes the list to Leonardo hurriedly. "These chemicals got mixed."

Leonardo frowns. "I wish I could say I knew what to do, but I don't do science."

Raphael squeezes into the hallway. "Hide me."

"Big tough Raphie's scared of April," Michelangelo teases.

Raphael raises a fist threateningly. Spike puts a hand on his wrist. "Red, chill. Mikey, don't antagonize him."

"We need a science person," Leonardo continues. He frowns.

"Should we tell Splinter?" Michelangelo asks as Lily rubs against his leg. He scoops the cat up.

"Uh…..no, he's meditating. Just keep this contained. If it gets too bad, then we tell him," Leonardo advises.

Spike glances up. "I have an idea."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Spike?"

"Hi, Irma," Spike shifts the phone. "You busy?"

"Not really. What's the matter? You never call me."

"Well….you're a science person, right?"

"I dabble in it, yes. By the way, you keep saying my last name wrong. It's Langinstein, not Langstein."

"Sorry." Spike shifts the phone again. "Uh can I ask a science question?"

"Go ahead."

"What happens if you mix these chemicals?" Spike clears her throat and reads off the list.

Silence.

"I just wrote them down. I'll get back to you on it soon. Why? Were they mixed?"

"Uh, maybe." Spike glances at Leonardo and makes a face.

"Well, it could be serious. I'll call back soon."

_Click._

"Shoot," Spike hangs up. "I hope it's not serious and is curable."

"Join the club," Raphael says dryly.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike and Irma met in an alleyway.

"So I found out about those chemicals," Irma begins. "Were they inhaled by anyone?"

"Ehhhh…"

"Spike, I need to know this."

Spike nods slowly. "Yeah, they were inhaled."

"Okay, so here's what happens: If that happens, it sends some weird signals to the brain. Makes the person act wacky. Make them do things they never would've even dreamed of doing." She chuckles slightly. "It's harmless. It just makes them act a bit opposite."

"Would that include making them flirt with someone they don't even like….or at least…don't like like that?" Spike asks hopefully.

Irma nods. "Sure. That would definitely include that."

Spike sighs in relief. "Thank goodness."

Irma gives a half smile. "I made an 'antidote' of sorts. Breathe this stuff in, and the effects will wear off sooner." She passes a jar of liquid. "If an unaffected person breathes it, it won't do any damage. Just might make you sick."

Spike glances at the jar and nods. "Y'know," she began.

Irma nods. "I know….you're not a thanker. Or a hugger. Or a people person." She shrugs. "You're the Iceman."

Spike looks up slowly. "Actually, I've been told I'm getting better. Thank you, Irma Langinstein."

Irma grins and salutes. "I'll speak with you later."

"Probably."

And as Irma turns the corner, Spike scrambles up the side of the building.

"We heard," Leonardo announces as soon as she reaches the roof. "You got the antidote."

"Yep." She hauls herself over.

"Good. Let's get back and fix them," Raphael turns to go.

Michelangelo pats Spike on the back. "Irma Langinstein?"

"Yeah. Friend of April's….she always seemed cool. Slightly boy-crazy, but cool. Smart girl, lucky for us."

Michelangelo starts after his brothers. "Did you ever notice that she's pretty?"

"Don't start on her," she warns. He grins and bounds off.

**OKay! Thanks for reading! Why don't you click the review button and tell me what you thought? It really helps!**


	42. Chapter 42

Raphael squeezes back into the hallway. "Well, I set it next to her, so she should breathe it in at some point."

Leonardo nods. "Nice." He turns. "Progress with Donnie?"

"Told him it was my new perfume. Fell for it like a dream." She shakes her head. "I don't even _own _perfume."

Michelangelo laughs. "Well, he didn't know that."

Spike grins. "I'm just glad April isn't actually crushin' on Red here."

"Donnie wasn't bothering you?" Leonardo asks curiously.

"Well, at least if he actually was, that's our business, and I could deal with that. I cannot physically rip the crush out of April's head. I've tried, back in high school." She leans against the wall. "That'd make things _awkward_."

She tries to ignore the unfamiliar feeling in her stomach.

She shakes her head. "I don't know, I think I might have inhaled some of that stuff. I might be gettin' sick. I'll go take a tums."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"You okay?" April asks, settling down beside Spike. "Mikey told me you were sick."

"I felt sick," Spike corrects. "Didn't actually get sick."

April nods sympathetically. "What happened?"

"Evidently you hit on Raphael."

April puts a hand to her mouth.

"Several times," Spike adds.

April giggles in spite of herself. "I did?"

"This isn't a laughing matter," she warns. "At all." She glowers at the knot in her stomach again. "I think I still feel a little sick."

"Well, Mikey said Donnie had a crush on _you_," April reports.

"An artificial one," Spike reminds her. "Completely fabricated. Not real."

April nods and sighs. "I'm going to bed."

"Good idea."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

_My mom used to say to write my thoughts down because they help me get them out._

_I'm not good with this._

_I hate April._

_But at the same time, I don't._

_April O'Neil is pretty and well liked. She is normal and funny and smart. She gets more attention and credit at work then me. She can sing. She has a sweet voice and guys falling all over her. Including a mutant turtle for the love of all things good._

_I hate Irma._

_But at the same time, I don't._

_Irma Langinstein is cute and quirky and funny and a genius. She likes boys and boys like her and she can dance._

_Michelangelo thinks she's pretty._

_I hate Vern._

_But at the same time, I don't._

_Vernon Fenwick is reasonably good looking for his age and liked at work. He has a dry sense of humor and a good taste in music and has gotten shot in the arm saving New York._

_I hate Casey._

_He tries to fool April by acting like he's changed. Like he isn't a bullying hockey player any more. Like he never broke her heart. Like he never told me I wasn't good enough._

_I love Master Splinter._

_He makes me feel safe, even when running me through katas one thousand times. He is wise, and sometimes reminds me of my dad._

_Leonardo makes me mad._

_But at the same time, I respect him._

_He's a hero. He keeps his family safe. He helps train me, and goes into battle, all with a calm frame of mind. He is the leader and the soul of the team. And I wish I could be like him._

_Raphael irritates me._

_But at the same time I admire him._

_He's rebellious, yes. But he's also strong, not just physically. Mentally. I admire his force of will, and his gruff love of his family. And I wish I could be like him._

_Donatello is maddening._

_But at the same time, I understand him._

_He's a genius. That's obvious. He feels overshadowed by his brothers often, I know. His compassion and gentle spirit make him an odd ninja, but the brains of the team is still a fierce fighter. And I wish I could be like him._

_Michelangelo drives me crazy._

_But at the same time, I love him._

_He's silly and everywhere at once and fast and can feel things. He's the heart of the group, searching out other's emotions and helping them feel better. The little brother to all of us. And I wish I could be like him._

_They're like brothers._

_I hate Spike._

_Spike Sanchez tries to be strong and fails. She tries to be firm, or smart, or loving, and fails._

_I hate her colorless eyes._

_I hate her tangly hair._

_I hate how she always seems to be too thick around the middle no matter how much work she puts into being fit._

_I hate how her own physical strength that she is sometimes proud of is ridiculed by the world._

_I hate her scars._

_I am proud of her scars._

_Her scars represent that she's done something._

_I hate Spike Sanchez because she isn't funny, or smart, or pretty, or anything like the people around her._

_I hate her because she doesn't fit into the group._

_I hate her because she's selfish._

_I hate her because she doesn't deserve her friends._

_I hate her because she let a woman die._

_I hate her because she loses fights._

_I hate her because she claims she's happy without someone to date._

_I hate her because she still wants someone to care about her._

_I hate her because despite the fact that one of her best friends having a crush on her terrified her, it flattered a small part of her._

_I hate her because she's weak._

_I hate me because I'm not good enough._

Spike glares at her tear stained paper and opens her folder and shoves it to the back, far to the back.

**Thank you for reading!**

**I have a question for y'all, by the way. Was that a little too melodramatic? I wanted to get the idea across that she has self image issues, like lots of women have. So, please let me know. Thanks.**


	43. Chapter 43

Spike yanks off her high heeled boots and reaches for her sneakers. "Raph's gonna kill me today I can feel it."

April shakes her head as Spike takes out the dangly gold earrings. "You don't even like jewelry."

"I was going through it," she explains, taking off the ring and necklace. "These are from Mom."

April nods. "Of course."

Spike stands. "Keep the band aids out."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Only yoga?" Spike asks in disbelief. "No fifteen thousand pound weights you want me to lift?"

"They weren't that heavy," Raphael informs her. "And that's what Sensei told me to run you through."

Spike shrugs. "Okay."

"He didn't say to go easy on you sparring though."

Spike grimaces. "Okay."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Raphael throws the first punch.

He always does.

Spike throws herself out of the way, spinning so she's behind him. He turns and swings again.

_Yoga doesn't rejuvenate enough, _she thinks ruefully as she dodges.

Spike's mind runs through what she knows about his fighting.

_Hard hitter. Not as fast as Mikey._

She jumps over his next punch, lands on her feet, and twists into a sidekick. It connects, but he also uses the opportunity to grab her leg. She picks up her other leg so she's hanging, swinging back and driving an elbow into his left knee.

"C'mon, leggo," she mutters.

He almost loses balance. He lifts her up by her leg and raises an eye ridge at her. "Really?"

"It was an attempt."

Instead, she drives the heel of her hand into his plastron, bringing the other leg to kick at his wrist.

He drops her, and she lands sprawled. She doesn't get the chance to get away though.

Raphael pins her arms and legs down and waits.

Spike releases a heavy sigh and taps out.

"I hate you," she announces.

"I've heard." He lets her up.

Donatello stops the timer. "Nice. Five seconds longer than last time."

"Thanks," she mutters dryly.

April holds up a box of band aids. "You need?"

"I'm good," she announces. She shakes herself. "I'm fine."

Michelangelo dashes in holding up a box. "Can we?"

Spike stares at the menacing cover. "Monopoly?"

"Yeah." Michelangelo grins. "I've heard it's fun."

Spike shrugs. "Uh…"

April nods. "Why not?"

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Fifteen minutes later, Donatello puts his head in his hands as Michelangelo crows out: "YES. You owe me, Donnie!"

Donatello groans and pushes a stack of cash at him.

Leonardo glares at his stack of money. "Not fair. He own boardwalk."

April digs through her properties. "Are you sure? I thought I had part of it-"

Splinter sits in his chair and sighs as he watches the group argue.

"I started with more money than I have in real life," Spike shouts over the noise. "HOW did I lose most of it?"

Raphael grins and slaps down a hotel on a space.

Spike howls in frustration.

Michelangelo points at Spike. "Oops. Boardwalk. You owe me." He grins and holds his hand out.

Spike glowers and passes a handful of bills over.

Raphael shows no where's near that restraint when he gets stuck there a few turns later.

He leaps over the board, and tackles Michelangelo. Leonardo tries to pry them apart. Splinter rubs his temples.

April and Donatello scramble out of the way as Michelangelo calls for help.

"Donnie?" Michelangelo squeaks. "Please?"

Donatello resolutely shakes his head.

"Spike?" Michelangelo gives her a pleading look. "C'mon."

Spike sighs and kicks Raphael in the shin. "Knock it off. It's just a game."

Donatello points. "Uh, your cash just got mixed up with Raph's."

And that's when she dove into the fight.

And that's why she wound up with several new bruises and scratches to add to her collection.

That's also why Donatello's running out of bandages.

**Another chapter out! Thank you readers! Please leave a review!**


	44. Chapter 44

Spike is an artist.

Not many know about this.

It's like her visual diary.

No one besides her had seen the drawings until the day she left it at the lair.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Michelangelo found it first.

"April, is this yours?"

April walks over. "No….It's not. Donnie? Do you own a drawing pad?"

"I own several," Donatello comes out of the lab. "Why?"

April holds the pad up.

Donatello shakes his head. "Not mine. And I don't think the other two draw."

April flips it open. "No name….hey, that's me."

It is. A profile of April, messy hair, tired eyes, still smiling.

She flips to the next page. Her again, standing against the news van.

The next few pages are her and Vern, with an occasional Irma with them.

Michelangelo peers over her shoulder. "Maybe it's Spike's."

"I didn't think she could draw," April muses. She flips the page.

"Is that supposed to be us?" Michelangelo asks bemusedly.

It looks similar to them. The turtles are drawn much bigger and scarier than they actually were.

April points at the date marked. "This must be the night we saw you first. She was scared."

Donatello chuckles. April turns the page and stares at the sketch of Splinter.

"She's good."

Leonardo joins the group. "Who is?"

"Spike. She drew these," April flips back to show him the picture of them. He frowns.

"I think she drew me a bit…..nastier looking."

Donatello nods. "A bit."

April frowns and at the picture of Shredder.

More pictures pass until they start to change. Less April.

Pictures of Leonardo begin dotting the pattern, looking stern, looking ready for battle, looking like posters for action movies.

Spatterings of Raphael break things up as well, looking mad, standing off in the corner, and some of his contented faces.

Donatello's pictures are scattered as well, showing the bespectacled turtle frowning at his computer, pushing up his glasses, holding his staff.

Michelangelo's grinning face appears often too, but there are pictures of him being serious too.

All of them in battle.

Splinter's image shows up as well.

April frowns at a picture of Casey drawn very severely, looking rather evil.  
Raphael's peering over her shoulder now too.

April pauses at one picture. Michelangelo glances at her. "Who's that?"

"The woman from the alley," April explains quietly. "The one who got shot."

"Oh," Michelangelo whispers.

Leonardo points at a picture titled: "Earth's Mightiest Heroes."  
In the drawing, Leonardo stands at the front, holding Captain America's trademark shield, with a determined look on his face.

Raphael stands next to him, anger written all over his face, wearing red ripped pants.

Donatello is behind him, dark tinted glasses and carrying a bow and quiver.

Michelangelo is flying, wearing the Iron Man suit, completely covered except for his head.

Master Splinter wears an eye patch and April stands wearing a leather bodysuit.

"Captain Leonardo, the Incredible Bulk, Hawknerd, Iron Turtle, Nick Splinter, and Agent O'Neil," April reads aloud. She chuckles slightly.

"I'm not a nerd," Donatello objects.

"Spike's not in the picture," Michelangelo notes.

"She wasn't in the Justice League one either," April agrees.

"She hasn't been in any of them," Donatello puts in.

Michelangelo frowns. "Maybe." He looks over the Avengers picture again. "There's an extra shadow."

"Pardon?"

Michelangelo points. "There's an extra shadow." He flips back through the pictures. "Extra shadows."

Raphael points at one picture. "Look at that."

In the drawing, April O'Neil stands in a room wearing Thor's armor, holding the hammer with a smile.

"And?" April glances up at him.

Raphael shakes his head and indicates the title. "The Forgotten Sibling. Thor wasn't forgotten."

"What's your point?"

"Loki was." Raphael points again, at the mirror behind April. A swirl of green cape and the side of Spike's face underneath the golden helmet is just caught in the reflection of the mirror.

"Oh, Spike," April whispers.

**Once again: Is too dramatic? Thanks for reading, and please review!**


	45. Chapter 45

That's when Spike enters with the pizza boxes. "Yo, did someone order a metric ton of unhealthy food?"

Michelangelo perks up. "Me!"

April freezes holding the drawing pad.

Spike glances at her and stops. "Oh."

"Sorry, we found it and thought it was Donnie's," April begins.

Spike shakes her head. "Y'all found your birthday presents a day early." She sets the pizza down. "Oh well."

"Those were for us?" Leonardo asks.

"Yeah. I have some others that I just kept in another one, but a lot of those are for you." She crosses her arms. "Well, what'd you think?"

"I didn't know you could draw," Donatello remarks.

Spike shrugs. "Eh. I can't really." She opens a box and wrinkles her nose. "Who ordered mushrooms?"

Donatello grins sheepishly. "I like them."

"To each his own, I guess." She picks a slice up and slaps it on a plate. "I should get tipped for this."

April smiles, studying Spike's face. "Are you okay?"

Spike looks up in surprise. "Sure. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Just wondering."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

_Journal thing._

_On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd say my day was an eight. We had the day off, so I spent it getting beat up._

_Figures._

_The guys found my present for them a day early, so that took the surprise clean out of it._

_April also announced that she and I were taking a vacation to a resort hotel._

_I don't know why, I don't need a break. I need to be busy. I'm fine._

_She says I need rest._

_I don't. I hate rest. I like activity._

_I have lots to do. More training._

_I have to finish building that model boat with Mikey._

_Ship, actually. He wanted an aircraft carrier._

_He wants to name it the _Lady Liberty_._

_There's nothing I can do, though. April is determined to get me away from work and all things I enjoy for a weekend of 'relaxing'._

_She can relax and get her nails done. She already painted mine green._

_I didn't stop her._

_I'll be fine._

Spike pushes that behind her first paper and closes her binder.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike sighs as April sits down on the bed. "Aren't you happy?"

"I'm ecstatic," Spike says, trying to work up enthusiasm.

April sighs. "No, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Spike says in confusion.

April nods. "Okay. Good."

Spike shakes her head. "I'm gonna put my toothbrush and stuff away." She sets her bag on the bed and unzips it, taking out her toothbrush and toothpaste. She heads into the bathroom.

A piece of paper falls out of the bag. April leans forward and glances at it.

A few words catch her eyes:

_I hate April._

She frowns and picks it up, glancing at the next sentence.

_But at the same time, I don't._

_April O'Neil is pretty and well liked. She is average height and funny and smart. She can sing…._

April glances up at the bathroom and settles back to read.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

_Spike stares blankly upwards as Slash's fist comes down on her, hard. She falls backward, but it doesn't seem real. None of it seems real. She's on a building in the nighttime. She doesn't feel real. She raises an arm to block and stares in shock at the green skin covering it._

_Someone calls her name._

_"__Spike!"_

_She dodges Slash's other fist clumsily_

_"__Spike!"_

"Spike!" April calls.

Spike sits up. "Huh?"

"You okay?"

Spike nods. "Uh-huh. I'm fine."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

_Journal_

_We're home. April thinks we had 'bonding time'._

_I love her, I really do. She's my best friend. But she's a little….odd. She's been acting funny around me, like walking on eggshells. Like I'm breakable._

_Or emotional._

_Funny, because she's the emotional one._

_There is good news._

_Donnie says we have a mission!_


	46. Chapter 46

"Thank goodness," Spike pats Donatello's shoulder. "I was getting bored."

Donatello gives her a wry look. "Of course."

Leonardo leans over the rooftop. "Okay, we've seen the Foot in and out of here with machinery parts. Conclusion: secret weapon. Our objective is to destroy it."

April nods. "I'm lookout?"

"Bingo," Leonardo smiles briefly. "Let's go, guys."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Michelangelo, Raphael and Spike peer in through the window.

Donatello's voice crackles through the headsets they're wearing. "Holy cow. Never seen tech like that!"

"Figure out what it does and get rid of it," Leonardo reminds them. "Now go."

Spike scans the room filled with alien robots and foot soldiers.

"You didn't mention the aliens," she mutters.

"Sorry," Leonardo says irritably. "I don't know everything."

Michelangelo turns to her. "Want your own grappling hook or you want to use mine?"

"I'll use my own." She aims at the ceiling.

"Go now," Leonardo hisses.

Spike fires in sync with the other two, then swings, battle flail in one hand, the other hand closed around her grapple.

She kicks into an alien and drops to the ground. Donatello and Leonardo hit the ground on the other side of the room. Donatello heads for the machine.

Leonardo brings his swords up and smiles grimly.

Michelangelo spins by Spike, nunchucks flying. Spike kicks out at a Foot soldier before jumping out of the way of a blaster bolt.

"Donnie?" Leonardo shouts. "How's that machinery coming?"

"I still can't figure out what it _does_," the frantic answer comes back. "I mean, there's a focuser, a tracker…Ummm…..and what looks like an engage button."

"So is it a weapon?" Leonardo asks.

"Uh…Probably."

"Get rid of it," Raphael grates out.

"Working on it," Donatello says irritably. "There's no big red button that says 'off', you know."

April bursts through the doors holding an alien blaster. She races through the chaos and stations herself by Donatello, aiming the gun towards the insanity. Spike digs a dagger into an alien brain, grimacing as blood squirts. She yanks the dagger back out.

"Ugh, gross."

"Got it!" Donatello shouts. He punches a button victoriously.

Five seconds later, Donatello lets out an inhuman screech as April hollers.

"What? What's going on? Donnie? April?" Spike calls.

"Status update," Leonardo says tensely.

April responds. "I found out what the machine does."

"What? How do you know?" Leonardo asks in confusion. "April? How do you know?"

"Uh, this isn't April," she responds. "Its…..Donnie. And the machine swaps brains."

Leonardo goes pale green.

"Oh, that's just weird, man," Michelangelo comments.

Donatello….er, sorry, April, breaks in. "Get me OUT of here!"

"Working on it!" says Donnie-Inside-April.

She…he hits another button and sighs with relief. "Back!"

Spike nods. "Thank goodness." She frowns. "Uhhh…"

"Cool! Never been this tall!" Michelangelo cries next to her.

In her body.

"ACK," Spike waves her arm, still clutching a nunchuck. "DONNIE?!"

She swings awkwardly at a Foot soldier, trying to imitate Michelangelo's fighting style. The unfamiliar weight on her back is uncomfortable and it's harder to balance.

Michelangelo, awkward in the lightness of his new body, is having trouble handling the mace.

"You need more balance," Spike explains, giving up on the nunchucks and kicking her new leg out. "So do I," she remarks. She holds up a nunchuck. "How in blazes do you use these?"

"Don't _flail _them," Michelangelo cries.

Donatello shakes his head. "Got it!"

"That's not right," Raphael calls from across the room. "This is Leonardo speaking."

Leonardo's brain in Raphael's body and Raphael's brain in Leonardo's body.

Oh no.

Raphael turns. "Fix us now, Donnie!"

"Working on it!"

A familiar voice laughs. "Quite a team you have here. Panicked children."

Spike freezes.

Karai.

**A little light heartedness mixed in with the battle! Thank you for reading, and please review! It means a lot!**


	47. Chapter 47

"Scattered minds," Karai continues. "Literally." She glances around. "Who is who now?"

She smiles mockingly.

Leonardo, now in Raphael's body, speaks up. "What do you have planned?"

"I believe that's for us to know," she sneers. She draws a sword.

Spike hooks the nunchucks on her belt and brings her fists up.

_I may not know how to use nunchucks, but I know how to use my body._

Donatello presses buttons on the machine frantically. April starts firing the gun again.

Spike feels another zipping sensation and starts forward until she realizes that she's looking at the wrong side of the room. She glares down at the swords in her hands.

Michelangelo yelps.

"Mikey?" Donatello calls.

"No! Raphael!" he calls.

"Oh boy…."

Spike's body is still on the other side of the room.

"Uh, who's in me?!"

"Leonardo," her body growls.

Spike holds her swords out defensively and stabs an alien through. "So Mikey's in Raph?!"

"Yes!" Raphael's body cries. "This is great!"

"No it's not."

Donatello hits another button.

Spike feels another zap.

_At least now I'm looking at the right side of the room._

Leonardo gives the thumbs up from across the room. "I'm back!"

"Me too!" Michelangelo shouts.

Spike shakes herself. "I think I-" she freezes. _My voice was never that deep._

She closes her eyes and steels herself before she looks down and takes in the sais she's holding.

"SHOOT."

She hooks the sais back and punches a foot soldier. She watches him fly a few feet.

_At least I don't have to worry about being shot at._

"So, that means," Michelangelo starts. He takes out his nunchucks and continues fighting, before giggling. "Raph, you're a girl!"

Raphael turns to him, mace out. "Shuddup. Fix us now, Donnie!"

Donatello fiddles with the machine for a minute.

Raphael sighs heavily and swings the mace. Leonardo is locked in combat with Karai.

Michelangelo has worked his way to the middle of the room.

April is still shooting.

Spike is still punching and throwing, with new appreciation for Raphael's strength.

Donatello grins. "There!"

_Zap!_

Spike stares at her familiar mace. "THANK YOU, DONATELLO," she howls, swinging with new vigor.

Donatello glances up. "I got this thing rigged to blow. We got thirty seconds!"

Leonardo throws Karai backward. "Alright guys, let's get out of here."

Spike doesn't remember much about the race for the door, but she does remember watching the abandoned store blow up from a few buildings down.

Leonardo glances around. "Everyone okay?"

Nods.

Michelangelo starts laughing. April joins him.

Donatello puts a hand over his mouth and snickers.

Leonardo smiles. Raphael chuckles.

Spike slaps Michelangelo's shoulder and starts cracking up as well.

"What just happened?" Spike gasps through tears of laughter.

"I have no idea," April giggles.

"Too bad I can't keep the bulletproof and super strength aspects," Spike jokes. "Those could've been useful."

Donatello pats her shoulder. "That'd be scary."

"Come on guys," Leonardo sighs. "Let's go home."


	48. Chapter 48

"Happy Birthday!" April cries.

She steps into the lair with a big grin, arms open wide.

Michelangelo bounds over. "You guys didn't forget?"

"No," Spike says from behind her. "Where do I put the cake?"

"Cake?!" Michelangelo hugs April. "You brought cake?!"

"Yes we did," April laughs. "And presents."

"Vern's got those," Spike says. "Wanna move?"

April scoots out of Spike's way as she sets the cake down. "Everyone likes chocolate, right?"

"Yeah." Michelangelo leans over her shoulder. She glares at him.

"No touching," she warns.

"I wasn't going to," he protests. "I was just looking."

"Oh, guys, you didn't have to," Donatello says. They can hear the smile in his voice though.

"April said this is you guys' first birthday party, so she said it had to be big," Vern explains, carrying a stack of boxes.

Michelangelo grins and picks Spike up in a hug. "Thank you guys!"

Spike nods. "Put me down."

He sets her down. "Sorry," he says sheepishly.

Spike snags him in a headlock and gives him a noogie. "Happy birthday, you weirdo."

"Thank you, knucklehead," he grins, grabbing her leg. "Wanna let go yet?"

Spike kicked his elbow with her other leg and lets go of him.

Leonardo shakes his head. "You guys shouldn't have."

"Stop right there," April points at him. "We should have, and we did." She pushes a box at him. "Open."

He sighs and takes the top off the box.

"The Karate Kid," he remarks. He glances up. "Thanks."

He picks the DVD up and glances at the pictures underneath.

"Five or six pages of Leonardo portraits," Spike explains. "Thought you might like 'em."

Leonardo holds one up. "I don't think the spandex was necessary."

"How can you be Superman without tights?" Spike asks.

Raphael appears behind her. "What's this?"

"Happy birthday, Red," Spike says, handing a box to him.

He glances at her. "Thanks?"

"Welcome. Open the box."

He holds the DVD set up bemusedly. "Gamerra?"

"He's a hero," Spike declares. "And a mutant turtle to boot."

"He doesn't know Ninjitzu," Raphael points out.

"But he breathes fire and squashes buildings," Spike reminds him. "Checkmate."

"And you call me a nerd," Donatello teases.

She shrugs. "You are, my dear turtle. Just not about giant monsters."

Donatello shakes his head. "So you got me a set of encyclopedias?"

"You said you wanted them," April protests.

"I know," he smiles. "I did. Thank you. I liked the picture of me as Martian Manhunter, by the way," he comments.

Spike bows modestly. "Well, you know, that was easy. What was not was Raphael's Batman." She frowns. "And Mikey as the Flash."

"Thanks for the comic books." Michelangelo slings his arm around April's shoulders. "And the pictures."

"You're very welcome," April grins.

Splinter shakes his head. "I believe you spoil them," he remarks.

"Well, Sensei," Spike starts seriously. "I never did have a pet." She ducks the punch Raphael throws.

Spike catches a glimpse of April looking at her with a thoughtful expression as April slices the cake.

_What's the matter with April?_


	49. Chapter 49

Spike stands opposite to Donatello. He has that gentle smile on his face, the one he usually has.

The one that stays in place while he kicks her butt to New Zealand.

He brings his fists up. "You first," he says.

Spike motions. "Oh, no, you," she bites out with false politeness.

"If you insist," he says cheerfully.

She dodges the roundhouse kick and his punch just clips her and pushes her to the edge of the mat.

He shrugs. "Remember the rules?"

"First one off the mats is a loser," she recites. "I know." She jumps, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in an aggressive hug, knocking him slightly off balance. It's enough.

She pulls herself up and jumps over his shoulder, landing behind him unsteadily. He turns, hand already closing around her wrist.

She slams her other elbow into his wrist, hard enough to get the point across but not dangerously so, before backing away, hands in guard.

Donatello glances at her. "Sorry to have to do this."

"Do wha-"

Spike's question is cut off by his push and she lands on the floor.

Off of the mat.

She drags herself up. "Well played," she says begrudgingly.

"You know I don't like beating you up," he reminds her.

"I know," she groans. "I just wish I didn't lose every day."

"Well, okay, so that's the worst news of the day," he encourages her. "You lose sparring sessions."

"Actually the worst news is that I owe Irma money for something and I don't even remember what," she corrects.

April steps in. "How hurt is she?"

"Just my pride," Spike declares. Lily rubs at her ankles. "Who let you in here?"

Michelangelo strolls in. "Sorry." He scoops Lily up. "I just let her go and _zip_!" He grins at her.  
"Wanna hear a wild idea?"

"Does it involve casualties?" Spike asks warily.

"Noooooo," he shakes his head. "What do you think I am? Here, come with me…"

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"No."

"C'mon!" Michelangelo throws his hands in the air. "Why not?"

"I won't because it's stupid," Spike explains. "Leonardo said for me not to go on patrol by myself."

"You won't be by yourself!" Michelangelo waves his arms. "You'll be with me!"

"Why do you want me? You kicked my butt last sparring session."

Michelangelo gestures and hums. "Everyone else is sick of me?"

"Oh Mikey."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"I'm bored."

"You're the one who suggested this." Spike stretches and resumes staring at the street.

Michelangelo sighs heavily. "Come on, villains, don't be shy."

"That's gonna work."

Michelangelo shrugs. "Was worth a try." He slides over. "By the way, that girl you were talking to the other day?"

"Who?" Spike turns.

Michelangelo motions to his face. "She wore glasses?"

"Irma Langinstein?"

He nods casually. "How do you know her?"

"She's been a buddy of April's since high school," Spike explains. She shrugs. "I told you that."

"That's right," he leans back. "Is she single?"

Spike smacks his shoulder. "Knock it off. She doesn't even know you exist."

Her phone rings. Spike picks it up and frowns. "Speak of the devil." She answers it. "Irma? This isn't April's phone."

"I know. I wanted to talk to you about something."

"That's Irma?" Michelangelo asks.

Spike waves at him.

"Who's that?" Irma asks.

"Uhhh….a friend," Spike answers, shooting a glare at Michelangelo.

"You have guy friends?" Irma sounds amused. "_You?_"

"Irma," Spike says warningly. "How friendless and pathetic do you think I am?"

Irma chuckles. "Just asking."

"Hi, Irma," Michelangelo calls.

"Hi, unnamed male friend of Spike's," Irma calls back. Michelangelo grins.

"Just call me Mikey," he says happily.

"Okay, Mikey," Irma laughs. "Spike, about that money?"

"I'll get it up for you as soon as possible," Spike assures her.

"Great. Talk to you later. Nice talking to you, Mikey," Irma calls.

_Click._

"She totally likes me."

Spike swats his arm again. "Quiet, you." She frowns. "This could wind up an actual problem."

He glances at her. "Sorry."

"But it hasn't yet, so let's just hope for the best," she declares.

**Coming up on the 50th chapter written! **


	50. Chapter 50

Michelangelo points gleefully. "There! Foot soldier! Let's get him."

"We can interrogate him," Spike muses. "Let's go."

They jump down into the alley, one in front of the soldier and one behind.

Michelangelo kicks the gun out of his hands and smiles. "Hi."

The soldier punches at him. Michelangelo grabs his arm.  
Spike grabs him from behind and throws him against the wall.

Michelangelo waves her aside. "We'd like some information."

"I won't talk," the soldier says grimly.

Michelangelo shrugs. "You can either talk to me or the lady. Take your pick."

Spike hoists the mace and glares.

The Foot soldier frowns. "You won't get anything out of me."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike slams her captive against the edge of the building, angling him so his upper torso is suspended over air.

"Talk," she growls. She indicates the mace. "Would you rather I bash you or drop you?"

Michelangelo lands on the ground below them, giving her the thumbs up.

"I don't care," the soldier sneers. "I am loyal to my clan."

Spike shrugs. "Your funeral. Literally."

She shoves him over the side of the building, listening to the scream.

Michelangelo catches him. "Ready to spill yet?"

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"They're working with aliens called the Kraang," Michelangelo explains. "And that's all we got out of him that was news."

Leonardo nods thoughtfully. "Good job, Mikey, Spike."

Spike nods. "No problem. That was fun."

"And mega cliché," Michelangelo adds.

"That too." Spike checks her watch. "April expects me back by now. Talk to y'all tomorrow."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"You are not inviting Casey Jones to this house," Spike says flatly.

"This is not a house," April remarks.

"You are not inviting Casey Jones to this apartment," Spike corrects.

"Why not?" April demands. "He's gotten better!"

"A teeny tiny bit," Spike says, moving her fingers a tiny bit apart.

"Spike," April says firmly. "It's just for dinner. It's a thank you for that raise he gave me."

Spike opens her mouth.

"Don't say anything," April says.

Spike closes her mouth and shakes her head.

"And you're cooking," April adds.

"I can't cook!"

"Learn to. This'll be good for you," April encourages.

"At least I'll be in the kitchen," Spike mutters. "Access to knives."

April frowns and opens her mouth.

Spike waves her arm at her. "I'm kidding, April. I'm not a murderer." Her eyes darken slightly.

"He'll be over tomorrow night, so figure out what you're doing fast," April informs her.

"Great."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Great," Spike mutters. "Just great."

She angles the pot over the sink and starts draining it.

April steps out. "How're you doing?"

"Is the sauce too watery?" Spike asks, moving the pot back.

"No. Spaghetti, eh?"

"How hard could it be?" Spike shrugs, stirring her sauce.

The doorbell rings. April moves through and opens it, smile in place.

"April, hey!" Casey smiles, spreading his arms. April hugs him quickly and ushers him in.

"Good to see you, Casey," April comments. "May I take your coat?" she jokes.

"Yeah right, in the middle of July?" Casey jokes back. He notices Spike. "Sanchez," he greets. She nods.

"Jones."

April gives her a meaningful look.

"Casey," Spike corrects herself.

April pats Casey's shoulder. "Let's head in, we have the table set."

"Sounds good."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"It was a dark and stormy night," Casey laughs, grinning at April over the plates.

April chuckles. "It certainly is."

Spike glances out the window at the rain and lightning. "Hope we don't get a power outage."

"You are such a downer," Casey points his fork at her. "Ever hear of fun?"

"Yes, I have. And I do have it on occasion, believe it or not," she shoots back.

April winces slightly. "How are your father and sister?" she asks.

"Fine, of course. This spaghetti is exceptional, April," he remarks.

Spike starts to say something, then snaps her mouth shut.

"Actually, Spike made dinner," April tells him.

He glances up. "Funny."

"No, she did."

"Really?" He glances at her. "Ol' Sanchez getting domestic already?"

Spike moves to stand up. She glances at April and sits back down.

"I assure you, _Casey_, there is no fear of me becoming _domestic_." Spike almost spits the last word out.

"Good. Don't want a hard hitting employee going soft."

Spike glares across the table. The lights flicker.

"Tis a night for the ghosts," April remarks.

"No such thing." Spike stands up and closes the curtains. "We're gonna wind up with no power, just watch."

"Don't be a pessimist," April scolds gently.

Spike shrugs.

And the lights go out.

"I told you. Our power always goes out."


	51. Chapter 51

"I'm sorry this had to happen when you were here," April says, lighting a flashlight.

Spike strikes a match and lights five candles as her cell phone rings.

She listens to the periodic table song for a minute. "I gotta take this." She slides into the kitchen and answers.

"Donnie?"

"Yes, that's me. Sorry about this."

"Don't be," Spike glances towards the living room. "Power's out here."

"I know. It's out all over the city. And I don't think it's natural."

"What do you mean?" Spike frowns.

"We're getting a strong signal from the center of the city, from the Kraang. We think they're behind it," Donatello admits. "You wanna come down and check it out?"

"Here's the situation," Spike explains. "We have Jones over."

"Oh."

"Although…..I may just head on out to get candles."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Be back soon guys, I'm off to get candles." Spike grabs a coat.

"We have candles," April says suspiciously.

"We may need more," Spike says, heading for the door.

April grabs her arm. "Can we talk?"

Spike glances at her. "Sure."

April grins at Casey. "We'll be right back."

She drags Spike into the kitchen. "What's going on?"

"Donnie thinks that the power outage is because of the Kraang," Spike explains. "I was gonna help investigate."

"We have a guest," April argues. "This will look highly suspicious."

"I know, but I-"

"Stay put. The turtles can survive without you for one mission."

Spike sighs and dials Donatello up. "Donnie? Hi, I can't make it, I'm sorry."

"That's okay."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"What's going on?" Casey asks.

"Just showing Spike the candles," April assures him. "That's all."

Casey nods warily. "Okay. So everything's fine?"

"Everything's okay," April says.

"Yeah," Spike adds. _I'm sorry, guys._

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mikey," Spike murmurs.

He shrugs as he peels the bandage off. "It's not that bad."

She glances at the burn mark on his arm. "Second degree. Hang on. I'll go grab my med kit."

"You have a med kit?" Donatello asks.

"Mom was a nurse. After…..well, after a while I wanted to learn more about her and her work, so I know a little."

"Donnie said it wasn't that bad," Michelangelo protests.

"It's not too bad, but I'd prefer it if I patched it up a little." April hands Spike her bag. "Thanks."

"No problem," April says quietly, glancing at Spike searchingly.

"You are such a mother hen," Michelangelo comments.

Spike glares at him as she slaps the gauze on his arm.

"Ouch."

She winds the bandage around. "There you go."

"Thanks Mom," Michelangelo jokes.

"Shut up." She stands. "There. Anyone else need a patch job?"

Leonardo shakes his head. "I'm fine."

"And I as well," Donatello adds.

Raphael crosses his arms. "I'm fine," he says gruffly. His hand moves to cover his shoulder.

Spike squints. "Oh?"

"Yeah." He steps back. Spike marches over and points at his hand.

"Move it or lose it, Buster."

He stares at her. "Yeah, right."

"Move your hand. _Now._"

He sighs and drops his hand. Spike's eyes widen. "How did that happen?"

"The guy had a buzz saw," Raphael explains. "I'll be fine. We heal a lot faster-"

"Stop talking." Spike pulls out a bottle of alcohol. "Gonna clean this. Sure hope it wasn't infected."

She digs out a cotton ball and soaks it with the alcohol. "Don't wiggle." She dabs at the cut, then wraps it.

She stands back and puts her hands on her hips. "Need a lollipop?"

Raphael shoots her a look.

"I'm kidding." She shakes her head. "Why can't you people be more careful?"

Raphael reaches out and just brushes his finger along Spike's cheek. "Uh, remember these?"

Spike brings her own hand up. "Oh."

She had almost forgotten about the three long scars across her cheek that the Shredder had given her.

"Why can't _you_ be more careful?" he asks, crossing his arms again.

"That was four months ago," she reminds him. "Give me a break." She shrugs. "I do better now. Hey, did you guys ever find out what the Kraang were doing?" Spike asks.

"No. They blew it up shortly after we got there. I guess it was more important that we not find out then that they keep it." Donatello shrugs.

April glances at Spike. "We should get home."

"Yeah. See y'all the next go round."


	52. Chapter 52

"It wasn't your fault."

"I shoulda been there," Spike mutters.

"You might have risked Casey knowing about them," April reasons. "You can't blame yourself."

Spike rubs her forehead. "Yeah, I guess."

"Spike….are you okay?"

"Why are you always asking me that?! Of course I'm okay!" Spike exclaims. "I'm fine! Unhurt!"

April frowns. "You don't seem like it."

"I am," Spike growls. "Stop asking."

"Okay," April says softly.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

_Journal_

_Had to spend an awkward evening with April and Casey flirting. And you can't tell me Casey wasn't trying._

_"__Candles do make things a little more romantic, wouldn't you say?"_

_That jerk._

_I wouldn't be so concerned if April didn't appear to enjoy it. I'd rather she wound up with ANYBODY else._

_Heck, even Mikey._

_Actually, no. Mikey's lost interest in April and has found a new focus for his affections. Irma._

_Fine._

_So I'd rather her with Donnie._

_Casey may look like he's gotten better, but he's good at subtly slamming me._

_Believe me, April should see it soon._

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Watcha drawin'?" Michelangelo flops on the couch next to Spike, jostling her slightly.

"My old room," she answers. She frowns and erases a line. "I'm trying to remember it."

"Blue walls," Michelangelo points. "Not pink?"

"No." Spike's nose wrinkles up. "I hate pink."

"Your parents knew that when you were a baby?"

"They figured blue was a nice color," Spike shrugs. She outlines a bookcase.

"Sorry for killing your legs," Michelangelo says quietly.

"No pain no gain, so they say." Spike raises a hand to grasp at her hair and sighs. "Keep forgettin' it's short."

"Do you miss your hair?" Michelangelo asks.

Spike stops and taps her chin with her pencil. "You know, I'm not sure. My hair was my favorite physical feature, I guess, but it's still there, just shorter. Sometimes I miss it long, but it's more practical this way." She starts adding the details to the bookcase.

Michelangelo shrugs. "When's your birthday?"

Spike glances up. "August fifteenth. Why?"

"I was just wondering. Because April says hers is in April." He chuckles. "That's funny."

Spike hums vaguely, erasing a smudge of lead. "I guess."

Leonardo appears in front of her. "Ready for a mission?"

Spike stands quickly. "Sure. What's the situation?"

"We're picking up odd information. An apartment complex on the outskirts of town. C'mon."

Spike nods and pulls a jacket on. "Let's go."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Donatello squints over the building. "Nothing yet."

"Are you sure this is the right building?" April asks.

Donatello gives her a slightly hurt look. "Of course I am."

April pats his arm. "Sorry. I'm not doubting you, I'm wondering if they moved or made it look like they're here."

"Do we even know what 'they' are? Kraang or Foot?" Spike crosses her arms. "There's too much of both in this city."

Donatello frowns and pulls his binoculars out. He raises them to his eyes and stares across the street.

He points. "There's someone over there!"

Leonardo nods. "Right. Capture and interrogate."

"I'll go." Raphael steps to the edge of the building.

"Me too," Spike declares.

"Why two?" Donatello glances at them.

Spike and Michelangelo exchange glances. "It went well last time."


	53. Chapter 53

Spike lets go of Raphael's neck and taps at his shoulder. "Put me down," she whispers.

Raphael sets her down and glances around the top of the building.

"I could've technically used the grappling hook," she whispers, squinting at a crate.

"Figured this was faster," he whispers back.

She points at the crate and starts towards it.

She jumps on top of it, and swings her mace to block the swing of a sword.

"Karai?!"

"Sanchez?!"

Karai breaks the lock the weapons are in and swings her sword down to split Spike's skull. Spike kicks Karai in the abdomen and knocks her backward, before jumping off the crate and planting both boots into Karai's chest, pinning her to the ground. "Red, it's Karai." She kneels on the ground, pressing one knee into Karai's chest.

"I kinda guessed," Raphael remarks, striding over. "I was coming, since it seemed you were in peril and needed help," he continues in deadpan, glancing down at Karai.

Spike draws her dagger. "What are you doing here?" she growls.

"I don't believe you need to know," Karai answers.

Spike glowers and places the dagger at her neck. "I believe I do."

Karai chuckles. "You wouldn't."

"The first time I saw you, you were going to kill countless civilians and had a gun on me. Believe me, I would."

Raphael nudges Spike's shoulder. "Don't go all vigilante on us, okay?"

"You're throwing off my intimidation act," Spike hisses. "Pipe down."

Karai gives him an amused look. "Are you her commanding officer?"

"No, she never listens to me," Raphael states.

Spike swats at his knee. "No bantering with the villains." She glares at Karai. "Well?"

Karai smiles.

Spike glances at Raphael. "Get Leo."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Karai." Leonardo lands next to Spike and looks down at her. "Is the Foot with you?"

"No, just little old me."

"Why should we believe you?" Leonardo asks.

Karai shrugs. "You don't have to, I suppose." She sighs. "Look, call your dog off, and we can talk like mature people."

"I'm not a dog," Spike mutters.

"Wolf, then."

Leonardo nods. "Let her up, Spike."

Spike stands, knife still out.

Karai stands and raises her eyebrow at Spike. "A little paranoid, aren't you? What have I done to cause that?"

"You tried to kill me, and destroy all of New York," Spike explains sourly.

Karai shrugs. "Fair enough." She turns to Leonardo. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Investigating suspicious activity." Leonardo leans forward. "Your turn."

"The same as you, apparently," Karai says, sheathing her sword. "I thought it was you."

"We thought it was the Foot." Leonardo frowns.

"She could be lying," Raphael warns.

"It's not the Foot, unless they have plans I'm not in on. In which case this'd be very awkward."

Spike glares at her. "Why are you allies with the Kraang anyway? What do they want?"

Karai glares back. "Why do you think I should tell you?"

"Girls, please." Leonardo glances between them.

Karai sighs. "I don't know why we're allies with the Kraang. Sacks and Stockman do. I don't know what they want, but they give us mutagen."

Raphael exchanges glances with Leonardo.

"I wish we had a truth serum or something," Leonardo mutters.

That's right when the windows shatter in the building beneath them.


	54. Chapter 54

The windows in the building beneath them shatter.

Leonardo turns abruptly. "Let's move!"

A grappling hook digs into the building and Donatello swings across, followed by Michelangelo, then April.

"Karai?" Donatello asks.

"I'll explain later," Leonardo offers, swinging down into the building.

The others join him, including Karai.

It's a laboratory.

It's a _full _laboratory.

Scientists stop and stare at the group.

One man in a suit stands out. He raises a gun. "What are you?"

"Ninja turtles?" Michelangelo suggests weakly. "Who are you?" he asks conversationally.

The man aims the gun. "We are the Earth Protection Force," he declares. "We defend the earth against any threat, especially extra-terrestrials."

"Aliens?" Donatello inquires. "Like the Kraang?"

"Not just the Kraang," he cries. "All aliens."

"Isn't that slightly racist?" Michelangelo asks. "What if there are good aliens?"

"There are none!" he exclaims. "And now you defend them?"

Michelangelo shrugs. "I-yikes!" He ducks as the man opens fire on them.

The scientists fall back, hiding behind whatever is closest as the turtles, Spike, April, and Karai dodge the gunfire.

Leonardo moves forward, still without his swords. "We don't want to hurt you," he begins. "Who are you?"

"I told you, I'm an agent for the Earth Protection Force!" he cries.

He throws the gun away, bringing his hands up in a defensive stance.

Leonardo charges him, punching at his abdomen. The man twists out of the way and slams his palm into Leonardo's plastron, pushing him back.

Leonardo frowns.

Raphael brushes past him grimly. "Look." He points at a large machine in the center of the room. "That probably caused the explosion."

"It's a weapon," Donatello realizes. He rushes over. "I'll disable it!"

"Good." Leonardo glances around.

A scientist picks up a gun and begins firing as well. Leonardo sighs. Karai jumps, standing on Leonardo's shoulders before leaping off, sword coming down in a graceful arc towards the Agent.

Leonardo draws one of his own swords, slashing downwards. The man dodges, kicking expertly into his plastron and shoving Karai aside. She charges again.

April takes up a gun and fires back at the scientists, trying to miss Michelangelo and Spike, who are working together to take out the scientists as well. Spike drives her knee into the stomach of a scientist, elbowing him in the back and sending him to the ground. Michelangelo picks one up and throws him into two more.

Leonardo finally lands a hit on the Agent, who steps back and picks up a gun, aiming at Karai. Leonardo shoves into him, pushing the aim off and the blaster bolt lands in the wall.

Karai glances at him. "I'm not good at saying thank you."

Leonardo glances back. "That's fine."

There is another explosion from the center of the room. Donatello gives the thumbs up as the machine blows up behind him.

"No!" The agent shouts. He points. "This isn't over!"

He turns and jumps out of an open window.


	55. Chapter 55

"His name is Agent John Bishop," Donatello states, cleaning off his glasses. "He's been abducted by aliens, but that's all I got before the computer crashed."

"The Kraang?" Michelangelo asks.

"I don't think so. Some other kind."

"That would explain his hatred of aliens," Leonardo muses.

"Why are we discussing this in front of the Queen of the Foot Clan?" April interrupts.

Leonardo glances at her. "Good question."

Karai turns. "Oh please, like I want them here. I don't like it any more than you do. We need the Kraang, just we don't like the 'Earth Protection Force'." She crosses her arms. "I admit, it's been fun. It's too bad we're on opposite sides." She steps back. "I enjoyed this. Goodbye." She jumps off the building.

They rush to the edge in time to see her zoom off in a motorcycle.

Leonardo sighs. "We'll see her again, I have no doubt."

"No doubt," Raphael agrees. "We shoulda nailed her when we had the chance.

Leonardo glances towards where she disappeared. "It's a shame she's filled with evil." He sighs. "Come on, let's head back."

Spike catches sight of something. "You guys go ahead. I'll catch up."

Leonardo shrugs. "Okay."

As they vanish into the dark, Spike starts walking towards the mysterious flash of movement.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Come on out!" Spike calls.

A chuckle comes out of the blackness. "If you wish."

A figure steps forward.

It's a woman, with long brown hair with silver ribbons in it. She wears a corduroy jacket and has an unlit pipe in her mouth.

She takes the pipe out. "Hello, Spike."

Spike steps back. "How do you know my name?"

"I'm afraid you wouldn't believe me, my dear." She smiles crookedly.

"Try me. Who are you?" Spike demands.

"I just know."

Spike frowns. "How?"

"The portals the Kraang have. There are more than one universe, darling, and I'm from one of them. I know about you, and I know how your story ends," she laughs.

"Why are you here?" Spike asks, shuddering.

"To warn you." The woman's face grows serious. "A storm is coming, Spike Sanchez. You gotta be ready with an umbrella and a raincoat."

Spike's eyebrows pinch together. "What storm?"

"I can't tell you exactly," the woman says quietly. "I can just say this: Surround yourself with your allies. Choose them carefully. Remember that the vilest of villains can be changed. Remember that you have good friends."

She smiles.

"Take time to smell the flowers," she adds. She puts the pipe back in her mouth and turns. The pink triangle appears again.

"How do I know you really know about me?" Spike calls.

"I know you absolutely hate lasagna," the woman calls. "I know you like old television and movies and that you sing along to old music by yourself. And I know that you're afraid."

She turns and steps into the triangle, and the portal disappears.

Spike is left alone.

**Merry Late Christmas, everyone!**


	56. Chapter 56

"You look like you've seen a ghost," April remarks.

Spike sits cross legged on the floor of their apartment. "No ghosts."

She shakes herself. "No ghosts," she repeats.

_No such thing, right?_

_A storm is coming?_

_I'm afraid?_

Spike stands. "I'm gonna….go for a walk."

"It's seven o'clock in the morning," April points out.

Spike nods. "Okay."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike's feet take her around the block and across the street, and eventually leave her at the cemetery.

Spike walks through the gate, glancing at the gloomy and empty area. She turns and walks twenty feet forward, six feet left, and there, by the tree, are the Sanchezes.

Spike stops in front of the graves, glancing from right to left at the familiar names. There is an empty space between her parents and her sisters, where she would one day go.

"One must wonder when I'll join you," she says aloud. She sighs. "It may be sooner than we thought, with all the battles I get into."

She crosses her arms. "Look, I got this problem. There's this weird woman I met last night-"

"Little old me?"

Spike turns abruptly. "You again?"

The woman with the silver ribbons in her hair smiles. "Uh-huh." She holds two bouquets of flowers. She holds one out. "One from Anonyms," she announces. "Got a call to deliver."

Spike stares at the flowers. "Uh-huh."

The woman shakes her head. "This other one's on the house, for the graves, I think." She hands over the other bunch.

"Look, Lady," Spike begins. "What do I even call you?"

"You watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer, right?"

Spike nods. "And?"

"Remember Angel?"

"A vampire showing up only to offer me cryptic messages about upcoming threats? That's what you are?" Spike crosses her arms.

"Not the vampire part. But that's my job." The woman shrugs.

"So do I call you Angel?" Spike asks in disbelief.

"Goodness no," the woman laughs. "We don't need two Angels running around."

"Two?" Spike steps back.

"Oh, I forgot. I don't know if you have one of her here." She glances around.

"Angel who?" Spike demands.

The woman shakes her head. "I can't tell you. You can call me Skye, though."

"Who are you really? Why can't you tell me?" Spike cries.

Skye shrugs. "Spike, you have to live your own life. It doesn't come with a handbook, or a checklist. The only reason I'm here is because your universe is having holes punched through it."

Spike frowns. "Should I be worried?"

"You have to keep living. Life is trial and error, my dear. It's a story. And the effects of good and bad decisions can advance your plot."

"Bad decisions?"

"How many of your bad decisions have turned into wonderful stories worth telling?" Skye asks softly. "Going into that subway station with April four months ago was not a good decision. And look what's come of it." She holds her bouquets of flowers out. "I need to go, dear."

Spike takes the flowers. "Who did you say sent this?"

"I didn't," she grins. "You have to figure that out by yourself."

She takes the pipe out of her pocket and places it in her mouth.

Spike glances back up at her. "Look, if every life is a story, what does that mean for me?"

Skye takes an envelope out of her pocket and hands that to her as well.

"Take time to stop and smell the flowers," she calls. She turns. The portal appears and Skye disappears through it.

Spike turns back to the graves and holds up the flowers. The one bunch was daisies, the one Skye had brought for her family's graves.

Spike knelt and divides the flowers up, before sitting back and staring at her handiwork.

"I don't know what happened to me, or my life," she begins. "And I don't know who that is, or why I'm not afraid of her. I don't know who these flowers are from," she raises the bunch of yellow roses in her hands. "I don't know about 'my universe', I don't know." She buries her head in between her knees. "I wish you were here."

"I hope April doesn't see Skye," she continues. "She's gonna have questions that I can't answer. And what does that mean, 'I know how your story ends'? How does it end?"

She sighs.


	57. Chapter 57

"Who are the flowers from?" April asks.

Spike holds the roses up and whisks them behind her back. "Uh…." She sheepishly brings them back out. "I dunno. Lady delivered them to me while I was coming back."

_Not a lie, not a lie, not a lie….._

April grins slyly. "Who are they _for_?"

"Me, actually." Spike shrugs.

April claps. "That's great! You have an admirer!"

"Whatever, just get me a jar to put these in with water. That's what you're supposed to do with flowers, right?"

April laughs. "Yes, that's what you do. Wow, you're so romantically stunted."

"How do you know it's romantic? Name somebody who'd send me flowers romantically," Spike demands.

April shrugs. "Don't know. Maybe someone at work?" She hands Spike a jar.

Spike takes the jar over to the sink to fill it. "Maybe. I doubt it."

_Choose your allies….._

Spike sits the jar on the table and places the rose stems in it.

"And they're even roses," April points out.

Spike nods. "Well, there are different meanings to different flowers, and I think it's a rose type that means death, so it could be a murder threat." She turns. "I'll be in my room if you need me."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

_My dear Spike,_

_Once upon a time there was a girl._

_She was special and unique because unlike other girls she read books and drank tea and didn't talk about clothes._

_She wasn't pretty like the other girls but she was skinny and white and conventionally attractive._

_She also wanted a man and liked to look at the stars at night._

_She was clumsy and awkward but not in a detrimental way only a cute way. She didn't like to talk to other girls because they liked frivolous things that she was above._

_And she was an old soul who raised herself because her parents were dead and her eyes were deep pools._

_And she didn't wear makeup but it was okay because she had flawless skin anyway._

_Spike, my dear, this could have been your story._

_Everyone is special and unique. You did read and drink tea and didn't talk about clothes._

_But you also played sports and video games and drank coffee and soda and roller bladed._

_You aren't pretty like other girls. You're not stick skinny, and you've got a square jaw you aren't fond of, and a mole on your neck and many other things._

_You didn't need a man, but you'd like to feel special and wanted._

_You hated looking at the stars because it made you feel alone and scared._

_You were clumsy and awkward, but you learned to improve it, and you got hurt doing it. You didn't talk to girls, or boys, or anyone except April, really. You liked the occasional frivolous thing, but never wore dresses because the ones you liked you thought would look bad on you._

_You did grow up too soon because of your family's death, and everyone's eyes are deep to some degree. You didn't wear makeup, but you had acne and you have dry patches of skin._

_You refused to be that type of girl. And everyone thought you'd never change._

_But you have._

_The turtles have done something to you that has started a change in you._

_Change is a scary word._

_You have a lot of it ahead of you, my friend._

_I'm warning you about the dreams._

_Keep in mind, my dear, I shall appear to you often in the future, and try to help you stay on the right course, but I will only do minimal work. This is your life._

_-Skye_

_P.S. I don't send roses. Ever._

April pushes the door open, a book in her hand. "Yellow roses mean friendship," she announces. "So it's a friend, probably." She glances at the letter. "Was that with the flowers?"

"Uh, no, it's just…..an old letter," Spike lies. She berates herself mentally.

"Oh…okay. Come on, we have work soon," April reminds her.

Spike nods numbly as April exits.

_I'm warning you about the dreams._

_What dreams?_


	58. Chapter 58

"You've seemed spaced out," April remarks.

Spike glances up from the sidewalk ahead of them. "Uh, yeah. I've just been thinking."

"About the flowers?" April teases.

"Actually…." Spike frowns and tenses. "April, we're being followed."

April starts to glance over her shoulder.

"No, don't look. Just keep walking," Spike whispers.

April gives her a worried look. "What do we do?"

"Follow me," Spike hisses.

Spike veers off into an alley. April follows her nervously. "Are you gonna-"

Spike spins to face the street, mace out threateningly. She glances upward towards the rooftops, and watches something shift.

She smiles grimly.

The figure turns into the alleyway.

Spike raises the mace as Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael land next to the girls.

"WHAT?!"

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

The turtles move fast.

Michelangelo moves April back, and Donatello steps in front of Spike. Raphael leaps forward, grabbing the surprised man by the collar and holding him up. Leonardo claps his hand over the guy's mouth.

"Casey?!" April gasps.

Indeed it is.

Casey Jones squirms in Raphael's iron grip, eyes wide and sweat beading.

"Don't scream," Leonardo warns, taking his hand off. "You know this man?"

Spike steps past Donatello. "We sure do."

"_That's_ Casey?" Michelangelo asks.

Casey's eyes dart to April and Spike. "You know these things?" he gets out.

"We're turtles." Donatello sounds offended.

"T-t-Turtles?!"

"Well these aren't backpacks," Michelangelo points at his shell.

Raphael glares down at Casey. "Were you following these women?"

"N-no….."

Raphael's grip tightens.

"Alright, yes. For protection," he adds hastily. "They were acting odd and I was concerned for them."

"So you stalked them." Leonardo's tone is casual, but his stance isn't.

"We don't like people stalking our hogosha," Raphael growls.

"Hogosha?"

"Perhaps you didn't know?" Leonardo comments. "They're our guardian spirits. They allowed us to rise from ashes."

"They coulda killed you without us," Michelangelo adds.

Donatello nudges him. "Shh."

Raphael hoists Casey higher. "So listen up, buddy. You don't mess with them. If we find out about another incident, we'll come visit. Got it?"

Casey nods. "Sure. Whatever you say."

Raphael drops him. "Get outta here."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

April shakes her head. "You guys were a bit hard on him."

Spike slaps Raphael's shoulder. "Y'all were the best. You scared him more than you scared me the first time."

April shoots her a look. "You're not helping."

"He hits on you nonstop," Spike reminds her.

April nods. "Well….."

"April, he harassed you."

"He _did_?!" Michelangelo asks.

"I threatened to break his arm if he did it again, but yeah," Spike nods. "Once." She sits down on the edge of the rooftop. "He thinks males are superior," she grumbles. "Bologna."

April sighs. "Let's change the subject." She brightens. "Spike got flowers today."

Spike puts her head in her hands. "Can we not talk about the stupid flowers."

"As opposed to the smart flowers," Donatello remarks.

Spike swats at his ankle. "You're hilarious."

"Thanks."

"Flowers?" Michelangelo leans over and bats his eyes. "From who?"

"Get outta my face." Spike scoots away. "I don't know."

"Yellow roses," April confirms. "They mean friendship, I think. Of course, that might not be the message they were trying to convey. They could have just been flowers, I suppose."

"I think they do mean friendship," Donatello muses. "I read about the flower thing a while ago." He shrugs. "A mystery for another day, I should think."

Spike glances up at Leonardo. "You don't think Casey'll spill the beans to the cops, right?"

Leonardo chuckles. "I think he'll be too scared of what might happen if he did."

"You wouldn't really hurt him, right?" April asks.

"Well…" Raphael starts.

Leonardo gives him a look.

"Of course not," Leonardo says firmly. "C'mon guys, let's get home."

_Choose your allies._

_Surely Casey can't be an ally?_


	59. Chapter 59

Dreams are funny things.

They can be wonderful, or they can be horrible.

They can be just plain weird.

Imagine a being that could trap you in your dreams, and suck out your life? The more horrifying the dream, the faster you die.

Interesting concept, isn't it?

_I'm warning you about the dreams._

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

It all started when Vern, April, and Spike came back from work, one after the other slipping into the sewer. Vern grimaces. "How do you stand the smell?"

"You get used to it," April explains.

The moment she says this, Donatello plows all three of them over.

"You get used to that too," Spike remarks, dragging herself back up. "What's the matter, Don?"

Donatello pulls April to her feet. "Sorry, sorry sorry sorry," he says breathlessly, straightening his glasses. "We got an update on the Kraang situation."

"We did?" Vern asks. "What are the-"

"Aliens," April tells him.

"What is it?" Spike asks.

"We picked up a conversation between one of them and the Foot," he explains. "The Foot are using the Kraang to get mutagen for their experiments to wipe us out, and take control of the globe. The Kraang are going to help them rule."

"That never works," Spike declares. "They'll kill each other for total domination."

"Yeah, but in the meantime we're gonna have a lot of mutants running around," Donatello warns. "Slash was the beginning. They're working on something else now….a 'more horrific end for the turtles', they said."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's stop them," Spike says, putting a hand on her belt.

"Rarin' ta go already?" Raphael says from behind her. She turns and shrugs.

"We're undefeated, remember?"

Leonardo opens the door of the Turtle Assault Van. "Let's move, guys."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

The turtles and Spike's go-get 'em attitudes are generally good things.

But not this time.

Being the first ones into the building, they found a few things.

They found the building empty, for one thing.

This may be a good thing, you might say. But it isn't.

Very quickly, five forms fall to the ground as five pairs of fangs sink themselves into each shoulder.

"If they won't wake up screaming, they won't wake up at all."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

April and Vern rush into the room as soon as they hear the noise.

Think of the most unintimidating animals ever.

"Beavers?!"

That's one of them.

April and Vern take in the sight of five unnaturally large beavers, each with different colored fur and a different symbol on it.

A purple beaver with a bomb symbol on it sits over an unconscious Leonardo, teeth sunk into his neck.

An orange beaver with a zombie head painted on him stands biting into Raphael.

A red one with a flaming skull's teeth are embedded into Donatello.

A blue one with a heart shaped skull's teeth ensnare Michelangelo.

One is black, with a mushroom cloud painted in white on it. It's jaws are closed around Spike's throat.

April screams.

Vern moves to Leonardo. "He's alive."

April feels for a pulse on Spike. "So is she. And Mikey…and Raph…and Donnie." She sits next to Donatello and tries to pry the beaver off of him. "What is it?!"

"They look like…..beavers," Vern points out. "These are the dangerous mutants?"

April frowns. "What could they be?"

"Yes, April O'Neil, we are beavers," a voice echoes.

April glances around looking for the source. "Who is that?"

"Why, I'm Death Beaver!"

Vern stands. "And?"

"The black one, sillies."

April stares. "What have you done to them?"

"My dear, we're simply draining them."

"Draining? How are you talking?"

"We're telepathic." The voice sounds ridiculously calm. "And yes, draining. The life source, if you will. They're trapped in their dreams….or nightmares. We're just waiting for them to die."

April stares at Vern. "We have to wake them up!"


	60. Chapter 60

**Warning, this chapter is violent and slightly disturbing.**

From Spike's perspective, it was quick. Pain in the neck, and then she fell to the ground.

But now, it's anything but.

Spike hates sleeping.  
Sleeping means dreams.

Dreams mean nightmares.

Spike wakes up in her dream.

It's odd. A white fox bears down on her, snarling. She pushes it aside, scrambling to her feet.

She speaks, but it is not her words, nor exactly her voice that makes the remark: "You betrayed us, Alopex."

_Who's Alopex?!_

The fox growls. "I did not betray you! Shredder did!"

"Of course," Spike continues sarcastically. She swings savagely at the fox.

A voice echoes through. "Greetings, Sarah! I am to be your dream moderator today!"

It goes dark. Spike turns.

"Who said that?"

"Me, of course. Death Beaver. I live in your dreams. You've got some awful ones, I'll tell you that much!"

Spike glances around. "Where are you?"

"Everywhere," the voice said sweetly. "Hold still!"

"What?" Spike turns again and recoils in horror at the familiar figure before her.

Ellen Ripley's cursed foe, the Aliens.

And Spike stands before it weaponless.

Spike backs away as the creature's mouth opens, revealing the second smaller mouth within. Spike turns and runs.

Her heart pounds in her ears as she races down empty white hallways, blindingly bright. She hears the beast behind her, hears it's feet landing, covering huge amounts of distance. She feels a pricking in her chest area, and stops, staring downward blankly.

Then she spots the hole, and the claws as her chest rips apart, and the little alien leaps out.

Spike falls, staring at the alien as it runs away.

It's dark again.

The scene changes. It's a jungle.

Spike is still weaponless as she turns in a circle, repaired again, alive again.

She hears it before she sees it.

The Predator bursts into visibility, grabbing her. She struggles against it as it takes a careful hold of her back, pricking it's sharp knives into her back on either side of her spine. She screams as it pulls her spine up-

And lands smack into the middle of a cold wasteland. She turns.

"What horrid creature are you yet?!"

She freezes as the creature rolls into view.

Tentacles, legs, huge body and head, eyes blinking at her.

"The Thing?!" Spike screeches.

The movies were one thing.  
Reality was another.

Spike turns and starts running, as fast as she possibly can, but it's not enough. The Thing is on her, reaching and grabbing a hold of her head. Spike screams as her world goes dark again.


	61. Chapter 61

**Warning, this chapter has more slightly disturbing elements.**

April shakes Spike desperately. "Spike wake up!"

Spike thrashes in her forced sleep, face contorted in her mental agony.

Vern glances up at her. "Freddy Krueger."

"What?"

"Nightmare on Elm Street. They kill through the nightmares. We have to wake them up."

"Can we kill the beavers?"

"It may put the turtles in danger, and Spike." Vern shakes his head. "We need something else."

April sits next to Donatello and puts her head in her hands. "Like what?"

"I don't know."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike races through corridors, aimlessly, running away from an unseen enemy. She stops as she sees it.

The black beaver laughs menacingly. "Hello, my dear!"

It seems to grow, towering over Spike. "My dear, you're not scared enough." Death Beaver shakes her head. "We'll have to make it more personal."

"Spike?"

Spike turns. "April?"

April turns to look at her. "Spike! I'm so glad you're here! You can help save us!"

"Save you? What's wrong?" Spike walks toward her. "Are the others okay?"

April opens her mouth, then freezes. April glances down, and Spike follows her gaze, staring at the blood soaking through her abdomen.

Spike whirls. Eric Sacks holds a gun, and laughs. Keeps laughing.

Spike catches April. "No, no no no no…"

"Yes, Darling," Death Beaver calls. "Why didn't you save her?"

Spike stares at April as her body dissipates. "Why? Why are you doing this?" She shrieks, her voice echoing off the walls.

It's dark again and she hears a voice.

"We meet again, girl."

Shredder.

Spike turns. "You're dead."

He laughs. She steps toward him threateningly. "What's going on?"

"See for yourself." He steps aside, exposing four familiar forms.

Spike rushes forward, ignoring Shredder as she kneels beside Leonardo. "Leo? Leo! Leonardo! Give me a signal….." She turns. "Donnie?" She crawls a few feet forward. "Mikey?" She stares. "Raph? Raphael…."

She stops short as a pain rackets through her body. She cries out as Shredder removes the sword from her chest as Spike falls too, her voice echoing mockingly.

"Leo, Raph, Donnie, Mikey!" her voice sings.

"You couldn't save them?" Death Beaver taunts, circling Spike.

Spike leans forward numbly.

"Not at all? Oh, what would your parents say? What would Splinter say? Tsk tsk."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"How did they defeat Freddy Krueger?" April demands.

"They stopped being afraid, I think. But how can we tell them that?" Vern frowns.

April paces. "Hang on…" She races to Leonardo, leaning down. "Leo! Face your fear!"

Leonardo stirs.

"Face your fears!" April shouts, standing up. "Guys! Don't be afraid!"

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Don't be afraid!" a dim echo bounces around the room. Spike winces.

Death Beaver frowns. "None of that," she admonishes the wall. She smiles at Spike. "You should be afraid."

Karai shimmers into being, sword drawn, circling her. "Shall we dance?" she snarls.

She leaps forward, screaming.

Spike jumps back, tripping over Michelangelo's body. The floor opens up behind her and she falls, plummeting downward.

"Don't be afraid!"


	62. Chapter 62

Spike lands in a bright room. Michelangelo's voice calls. "Spike! You're here!" She opens her eyes.

Michelangelo picks her up in a bear hug, tears falling onto her shoulder. "I was so scared!"

Spike scrambles away from him. "You….you….I thought Shredder had…"

"You too?" Leonardo asks.

Spike glances at him. "Beavers?"

"Us too," Donatello nods. "I got a cheerful fellow named Dark."

"I got something named Dave," Michelangelo shrugs.

"Dire," Leonardo puts in. "And Raph got Dread."

"Indeed so, children!" a voice calls.

Donatello stiffens. "Dark?"

"That's right, my friend."

"We're here too, you know," a blue beaver adds.

"Dave?" Michelangelo asks. "Is that you?"

It nods.

A purple beaver smiles. "Enough playing. You go now."

It leaps down, knocking into Leonardo. "Say goodbye to your team, 'leader,'" it mocks. It raises it's claws.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Wake up!" April screams. "Face your fears! Come on guys! Wake up!"

She shakes Leonardo.

Vern nudges Michelangelo. "I think it's up to them," he admits.

April stands, tears starting to flow. "We can't let them die. Their pulses are getting weaker."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike pushes back at Death. "Get back!"

"Oh please," Death snarls. "I'll be right here. You're fading already."

Michelangelo's screams carry. "I AM IMPORTANT! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Donatello presses against the wall, ducking a swipe of claws. "Pathetic," Dark sneers. "You wimp."

Dread booms a laugh. "So tough, and yet….how easily you dissipate. A few more minutes and poof!"

Raphael howls and shoves hard at the hugs beaver.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Remember your strengths!" Vern shouts. "They're illusions! Not real!"

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Not real!"

Leonardo stops. "That's it! They're illusions!"

He turns to Dire. "You can't hurt me!" he declares, ignoring the visions of the Shredder and Kraang. Dire swings his claw, and it passes right through Leonardo. Dire glares at him, starting to melt away.

"I see!" Donatello shouts. He shoves at Dark. "You're not real," he shouts. "Not really. Not in here. Just your presence. Get out!" He waves his hand at the apparition of pools of blood.

"You're fake!" Michelangelo screams out, standing his ground as Dave goes for a tackle. Dave's eyes widen and he slides right through Michelangelo. Michelangelo glares at the image of Slash, which melts away. Dark withers.

"You're an illusion!" Raphael crows. "A hallucination!"

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Spike hollers. Death and Dread exchange worried glances as they shrink. Gravestones disappear.

"You haven't seen the last of us!" Death assures her. "It's been fun, Sarah."

"Spike!" Spike snaps. "I told you to beat it!" She points at the image of the Thing, frozen. "Begone!"

"We'll be back," Dread cries. "Count on it!"


	63. Chapter 63

Five pairs of eyes snap open and five forms shake the beavers off of them.

April claps. "You're okay!"

Spike grabs Death around the neck. "You got somethin' to say to me?" she growls.

The beaver laughs nervously, powerless and no longer larger than life. Spike glance at the not normally scary Donatello, who is holding Dark by the tail.

"What do we do with them?" She asks.

"Let us go," Death implores.

Spike glares down her nose at the beaver. "Listen, I just ran ten miles away from various horrors in my own head, and you tried to kill us. Give me one reason we should let you live."

Donatello glances up. "We could blow the building with them inside?"

Leonardo glances around. "Do it. We can't let them be a danger to anyone else."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

The building blew as the group safely sat on a building across the street.

April hugs Spike. "Thank goodness you're okay."

"Yeah." Spike shudders involuntarily. "Ugh."

Michelangelo hugs April. "We were awful scared."

"Awfully," Donatello corrects. He cleans his glasses. "It was horrifying, wasn't it?"

April glances around. "Why don't y'all come back to the apartment, and we can calm down over tea or something?"

Vern nods. "You guys did awesome."

Leonardo pats Spike's shoulder. "Well, we have you to thank, Vern. Thank you for getting that message through. Otherwise we might be dead."

April sighs. "Let's get home."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike stares blankly at the television, despite the fact that it remains off. April pats her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Spike nods numbly. "Sure. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Just wondering. You seem….empty, like you saw horrible things."

"I'm fine."

April sighs. "You always say that, and you never are. You're not really okay, are you?"

Spike glances up with hard eyes. "April, we're all alive and unharmed."

"Is all you think about the physical? The mental is important too. Your mind is cluttered with horrors and fears, isn't it?"

"April, you read too many books. My mind is okay. It's just like your mind, Leo's mind, anybody's mind."

April sighs. "One of these days, you're not going to sound so tough."

Spike turns and stares at her. "What is with you?"

April shakes her head. "Nothing." She turns and walks back out to the kitchen.

Spike glares at the wall. "I'm fine."

"You are?"

"Shut up, Red." Spike turns and crosses her eyes at Raphael. "Yes, I am."

Raphael shrugs. "That was an interesting adventure."

"If by interesting you mean terrifying," Spike says dryly. "Then yes."

Raphael nods. "Yeah. Wasn't much fun-"

Then the horrible happens.

The door swings open.


	64. Chapter 64

The door swings open.

Raphael jumps over the couch, crouching in front of it.

Leonardo and Donatello split, Donatello squeezing into the bathroom while Leonardo zips into April's room.

Michelangelo freezes.

In the doorway, in all her glory, stands Irma Langinstein, Taser drawn and pepper spray out.

Spike leaps over the back of the couch. "Irma?!"

"Spike? April? I thought you were out, April said you were leaving and you'd be gone for a while, and then I heard noise. I thought you were being burgled or something." She spots the still-frozen Michelangelo and stares.

Michelangelo giggles nervously.

Irma glances at April. "What's that?"

Michelangelo shakes himself. "I apologize, ma'am," he begins. "My name is Michelangelo. Remember Mikey?"

Irma lowers her weapons. "Mikey? Spike's friend?"

"Yes ma'am." Michelangelo folds his hands in front of him. "I also rescued you in the alley the other day."

Irma frowns. "That was you?"

"Yes."

Spike turns. "Hold on, rescue?"

"I was on patrol and she was being mugged," Michelangelo explains. "I had to do something. I didn't let her get a good look at me."

"Considering she's standing two feet away from you now that doesn't count for much," Spike mutters.

Irma studies Michelangelo. "I don't mean to sound rude but what are you?"

"I'm a mutant ninja turtle, ma'am. I'm eighteen years old and I like hip-hop music," Michelangelo informs her.

"Enough with the ma'am. It's Irma or nothing." Irma leans over and brushes his arm, then his shell. "Fascinating."

"Thank you," Michelangelo says modestly.

Irma shakes her head. "I'm sorry." She sticks her hand out. "Nice to meet you, Mikey."

Michelangelo takes her hand, and kisses it lightly. "Pleasure is all mine, milady."

Spike slaps her hand over her eyes. "Alright, Casablanca."

Irma smiles. "Is he usually like this?"

"Kinda, we're the only humans he knows," April informs her. "He flirts with everyone."

"Not me," Spike points out.

"You also punched me in the nose," Michelangelo reminds her. "So no."

"You punched him?" Irma asks.

"I thought he was a bad guy," Spike defends herself.

Irma peers around. "Any more mutant ninja turtles?"

"Well, I…" Michelangelo leans closer and whispers. "Promise not to tell anyone."

"I swear not to tell anyone about you or any others," Irma whispers back.

"I have three big brothers," Michelangelo murmurs. "But they're not as good looking as I am."

Irma grins. "Is that so?"

"Yeah."

"May I see them so I can judge for myself?" Irma asks.

Michelangelo shrugs. "I'll ask." He stands straight. "Leo? You mind comin' out here to see this nice young lady?"

Spike throws her arms up. "Good grief, Mikey…." She glances at Irma. "You okay?"

Irma nods. "Sure. I mean, it was a bit of a shock…"

April pats her shoulder as Leonardo emerges from April's room. "Mikey…"

Michelangelo beams up at him. "Yeah, Leo?"

Leonardo glances at Irma. "Never mind. We'll discuss this later." He turns to face her, squaring his shoulders. "Hello. Sorry about Michelangelo."

"Quite alright," Irma waves it off. "Is Leo short for Leonardo?" Leonardo nods.

"This is my oldest brother," Michelangelo informs her. "Raphael is second oldest." Raphael stands up slowly from behind the couch.

Irma glances up at him. "Hi."

"His bark is worse than his bite," April assures her. "He hasn't hurt us." She glances at Spike. "Well, he hasn't hurt me. He won't hurt you."

Raphael strides over. "Hey."

Donatello bursts forth from the bathroom. "Hi," he says sheepishly.

"That's Donatello, third oldest," Michelangelo gestures.

Irma nods. "All named after Italian artists?"

"Yes," Donatello says.

Irma shakes her head. "Uh, just a question, but…..how do they know you?" She glances at April and Spike.

April sighs. "You better sit down."


	65. Chapter 65

"So YOU were the heroes of New York? You never exposed the vigilantes?"

"Of course not. They're my friends," April says.

"Wow. The vigilantes." Irma gazes around at the group. "I'm a big fan of your work," she laughs nervously. "This is a shock. Didn't expect turtles."

"Neither did we," Spike says dryly.

Irma shakes her head. "Wow."

"You said that already," Michelangelo stage whispers.

"Hey, as long as she's in on the secret, can she be in the group?" April asks. "She's good at lots of things."

"Like what?" Leonardo asks.

"She's a hacker," April begins.

"And she can cook," Spike adds.

"She's in," Leonardo declares.

Irma grins. "Well, thanks. I actually have to get going now, but it was great meeting you. You're not actually that scary."

"Depends on what side of the law you're on," Donatello remarks.

Irma chuckles. "I'll….see you later!" She leans over and whispers to Michelangelo. "You're the best looking."

He nods. "Naturally. Goodbye, Irma."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

_Dear Spike,_

_I must ask you a question._

_If you were dying, who would you want with you?  
Last year, the year before that, and all the years before that for a long time it'd just be April._

_Count yourself lucky that you have six or seven to choose from now._

_April, Irma, Splinter, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo…..even Vern is better._

_Remember that._

_Remember that when you're sick of seeing a cheerful April every morning._

\- _Skye_

_P.S. I'm glad to see you're making allies._

Spike stares at the letter and sighs. _Maybe she's right._

_Maybe I'm not alone anymore._

She leans over and flicks off the lamp.

_I wonder what catastrophe tomorrow will bring._

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Wait, you want us over for a game of paintball?" Spike asks. She holds the phone higher.

Leonardo's voice crackles through with a sigh. "Yeah. Thought it'd be a good training exercise. April suggested it."

"I haven't played paintball ever," Spike explains.

"Neither have we. But we're good aims. And so are you."

"We'll bring a set over," Spike sighs. "See ya."

She hangs up.

"Invite Irma," April calls from the kitchen. "We got to get her used to things."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Paintball with the turtles?" Irma asks incredulously.

"That's what the reptile said," Spike nods. "You in or out?"

"Sure, I'll do it. I love paint ball." Irma shrugs. "You just gotta show me how to get there, and I'll come. I'll even bring food."


	66. Chapter 66

Spike hoists the cake higher. "Why do we have cake?"

Irma glances over her shoulder. "Because. I like cake, April likes cake, I assumed most people did. It seemed safe."

Spike shrugs. "Okay."

April points. "There we go. Manhole cover. C'mon, guys." She ducks into the alley, ushering Irma down. Spike leans down and passes the cake down to Irma, clambering down herself.

April pushes past her, grinning. "This will be great for you first visit." She hefts her gift bag.

Irma nods. "I'm pretty enthusiastic."

"So is Mikey," Spike says dryly. "New friend."

She steps into the lair. "Hey guys we brought a friend," she begins.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY SPIKE!" Michelangelo screeches, scooping her up in a huge hug.

She kicks slightly. "What in the name of-"

April takes the cake and sits it on the counter. "Your birthday," April says calmly. "Is today."

"Well yeah, but I thought I was gonna get a cupcake and you were just gonna say happy birthday before bed like you've done!" Spike pats Michelangelo's shoulder. "Put me down."

Michelangelo sets her down, grinning. "Well now you have friends, so we threw you a party!"

"Party?!"

Irma smiles. "Yeah. April told me about it."

"What about paintball?" Spike asks.

"We'll do that too," Leonardo assures her, appearing behind her. "Happy Birthday, Spike."

"Thanks," Spike sighs. "You guys-"

"Totally had to do this," Donatello declares. "Don't say we didn't. You did it for us."

Spike shrugs. "Well…thanks guys."

"No problem," Raphael slaps her shoulder. She braces against the floor and slaps back.

Irma takes the lid off the container. "See?"

Spike leans over and stares at her. "How many tons of icing is that?"

"Four," Irma says seriously.

"Goodie," Michelangelo rubs his hands together. "What flavor?"

"Chocolate, April said that's Spike's favorite." Irma picks up a knife and begins cutting. "Everyone else okay with that?"

Leonardo nods. "We all like chocolate."

Splinter walks into the room. "I understand you have a birthday, Spike?"

"Yeah….I'm…." Spike puts her head in her hands. "Twenty three."

"Whoa," Donatello teases. "You're old."

"I am not," Spike protests. "I'm young yet."

Irma glances at Splinter. "Uh, hi."

"Greetings. You must be Irma."

She nods. "Uh-huh. Are you Master Splinter?"

"I am." Splinter smiles. "It is good to meet you."

Irma smiles too, nervous look dropping. "I hope you remember that later."

Splinter chuckles.

Michelangelo glances at April. "Which do we do first, cake or presents?"

"Presents? Guys-"

"We couldn't get you pasts," Donatello says seriously. "So presents had to do."

"Or futures," April adds.

Spike rolls her eyes. "So my gift is a couple of comedians. Fantastic."


	67. Chapter 67

Michelangelo passes Spike a brightly wrapped box. "Open it."

She glances up at him. "Nah, I'm gonna look at it for a while first." She rips off the paper, and takes off the lid. She stares and holds up the Godzilla action figure. "Mikey?"

"I figured you needed a super hero action figure," he explains. He grins. "There's more."

She digs out the papers at the bottom and stares at the drawing of a figure in a Black Widow suit, short hair and three scars across her cheek.

"That's you," Michelangelo whispers.

Spike laughs in disbelief, flipping to the next picture, the same woman in a Wonder Woman outfit, then a Hawkgirl.

"You're a superhero," Michelangelo says, poking her shoulder. He leans forward and hugs her again.

"You make me cry again I'll hit you," she threatens unconvincingly, glancing through the pictures.

Michelangelo smiles. "Of course you will."

Leonardo passes her a box. "Here."

Spike unwraps the odd package slowly, a huge box, and takes out the mace, grinning. "Wow, thanks! A bladed one!"

"No problem," Leonardo says. "Thought you might like another addition."

Spike lifts another set of papers from the bottom.

Drawings depict Spike in battle, not as a superhero, but as a warrior. A fighter. Spike looks up at Leonardo.

"You're a great ally," he says simply.

Donatello smiles and hands her a large package.

She opens it and laughs as she picks up the gun. "Nice. It fires, I hope?"

"Sure does."

Spike hefts it. "Jesse Ventura's gun. Thanks."

Michelangelo's drawings were focused on her as a hero, with bold lines and bright colors.

Leonardo's drawings were focused on her as a fighter, with sweeping movement and hard lines.

Donatello's drawings were focused on her as a family member, using gentle lines and colors.

Pictures of her sparring, doctoring Michelangelo, playing video and board games with Raphael, helping Donatello in the lab.

"You have a family right here," he reminds her. "Don't forget that."

She nods silently.

Raphael's box was small, but that does not mean anything.

Spike opens it, and laughs. "John Wayne collection, huh?"

He shrugs. "Thought it'd be your thing."

Raphael's drawings were of Spike.

Just her.

Usually from the chest up, Spike's facial expressions were happy, sad, angry, peaceful, and always full. Gentle colors or bold, hard or soft lines, somehow it looked like her.

Spike glances up at Raphael. "Thank you."

He shrugs again. "Jus' tried my best." He spread his hand. "Not like these fingers'll ever be good at art or nothin'."

"Liar," Spike accuses, sniffling.

Michelangelo pats her back. "You okay?"

"Course I am," she declares.

Splinter puts a hand on her shoulder. "I have no gift for you, my child."

"That's quite alright, the training is enough," Spike assures him.

"I did want to tell you that I shall talk to you later," he says.

Spike blinks at him and nods.

"Alright."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike sets her plate down and joins Splinter on the other side of the room. "You wanted to speak to me, Splinter?"

He glances up. "Yes. Do you know why you got those pictures?"

"Cause I got 'em some?"

"No." Splinter shakes his head. "Because you needed them."

"I don't understand," Spike says blankly.

"You needed to see what others think of you, people's opinions beside your own," he explains quietly.

"Why?" Spike asks.

"Because I can tell that for a long time, you have been ripped down by other people, to the point where you began to do it to yourself. That's a lot of damage for a twenty-three year old, don't you think?"

She shrugs. "I…."

"You needed to see that you were needed, and wanted," he continues. "You had to understand that without you, we might be dead. That you are necessary." He smiles gently at her. "And I think you should talk to April later."

Spike nods, rubbing her eye defiantly. "Okay. I will."


	68. Chapter 68

After an evening of blasting each other with paintball guns, April and Spike took Irma home, and started back to their own dwelling.

The minute they entered their little apartment, Spike turns to April.

"Splinter said I should talk to you," she says quietly. "What about?"

April frowns. "What do you mean?"

"You've been weird," Spike continues. "Watchin' me, makin' weird comments, just….I dunno…"

April shakes her head. "I don't get it."

"Like you're Sherlock Holmesing me," Spike explains. "Deducing."

"Maybe I have been," April says quietly.

"And what have you discovered?" Spike asks.

"You're lonely," April bursts out. "And depressed, and self-loathing, and all kinds of other things."

Spike turns. "How in heck do ya figure?"

"You said so," April continues. "I read it. In your journal thing. 'I hate April but at the same time I don't.'"

Spike stares. "You read that?!"

"It fell out, and it had my name on it," April defends. "I had to read."

"No you didn't! April, that was…personal!" Spike shouts. "I can't believe you'd read that!"

"And I found out lots about you!" April screams back. "Your problems! You're messed up! You think so well of people around you, and mercilessly rip yourself down! Why, for goodness sake?!"

"I..I'm not…"

"Not what?" April demands. "What aren't you?"

"I'm not good enough!" Spike hollers. "I'm just so small and weak…"

"No! No! Don't ever say that! Who helped Raphael fight Shredder?"

"Well, me, I guess, but it didn't do much-"

"Who helped hold up the spire on the tower?" April continues.

"Well, they did it mostly-" Spike begins.

"Who participated in the fights, and trained, and bled, and sweated her mind out for those turtles and Splinter, and me?!" April presses. "Who?"

"Me, I guess," Spike shrugs.

April snatches Spike's arm and rolls the sleeve back, revealing the scars she's obtained over the last five months. "These do not show weakness!" April proclaims. "They show strength, and perseverance!" She holds a handful of pictures that the turtles drew up. "These show you're loved and valued! Leonardo thinks of you as a warrior! Raphael drew a person with a variety of emotions! Donatello drew your family moments, Michelangelo thinks you may as well be a superhero!"

Spike blinks at April. "I…."

"You are important!" April shouts. She breathes and settles. "Sorry."

Spike stares at April. "I have never seen you get like this."

"Only when my friends pull stunts like this," April sighs.

Spike sits down. "You still shouldn't have read it."

"If I didn't, who could have rammed this through your skull?" April teases.

Spike grins slightly. "Eh. Who knows?"

"You've gotten softer," April notes.

"I have?"

"Mikey hugs you regularly," April reminds her. "You have."

Spike shrugs. "Maybe."

_Maybe a lot._


	69. Chapter 69

Spike sits on the edge of a building, in between Raphael and Donatello, watching the lights of New York City.

Michelangelo sits a few feet away, in between April and Irma, chattering away happily.

Leonardo stands behind him, watching the streets.

If you're wondering why Irma's there, it's a simple explanation.

"Hey, Irma?" Spike had asked. "Why are you coming on patrol?"

"I want to see you in action," Irma had explained. "I was thinking about seeing how much training it'd take till I could help."

And that's why Irma was there.

It's been quiet for a few days, and now it's looking to be a quiet night.

At least, that's what they thought until they heard a commotion. Raphael, Donatello, and Spike scrambled to their feet, glancing around to gauge which direction it had come from.

Michelangelo, Irma, and April stand up slower, but no less alert.

"What was that?" Irma asks nervously.

"Don't know yet," Leonardo turns. "But it came from that alley." He points.

Donatello turns to April. "Can you make the jumps?"

April peers over the gaps. "They're small ones. Yes."

Michelangelo scoops Irma up and grins. "I'll get you a good seat," he promises.

She smiles nervously. "Okay."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"What the heck?" Raphael stares down at the street. "What's goin' on?"

In the alley, five or six Foot soldiers are against one human, wearing a mask with a skull painted on it. The human wields a hockey stick.

"He'll be killed," Donatello says in horror.

"Actually, he's not doing too badly," Spike remarks.

A Foot soldier breaks the hockey stick.

"Or, you know, not," Spike winces.

"Leo, what do we do?" Michelangelo asks.

Leonardo frowns. "We get down there and bail this guy out."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Leonardo hits the ground first, followed by Raphael, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Spike.

They make short work of the Foot soldiers, before turning to the fellow with the broken hockey stick.

The guy instead draws a baseball bat and aims a strike at the closest person.

Spike ducks a swing. "Hey, what gives?" she demands.

"Stay back!" the figure shouts.

Spike stands and frowns. "Jones?"

The figure swings at his next swing at Leonardo, who grabs the bat and drops it.

"Casey Jones?" Spike asks. "Is that you?"

The man sighs and takes the mask off. "Yeah, it's me, Sanchez. What're you doin' here, tryin' to get rid of me too?"

"Cryin' out loud, Jones, no! We were tryin' to bail ya out!" Spike exclaims.

April climbs down the rest of the fire escape and turns to him. "Casey?!"

Irma follows her. "Really? I haven't seen you since high school," she declares.

Casey turns. "Coulda sworn you were the bad guys based on our last meeting, _hogosha_," he spits at Spike.

Spike points at him. "Look, bud, you were followin' us. What were we supposed to do? Let ya stalk us?" She gestures at their group. "Dude, we're the good guys!"

"Yeah, right," Casey snaps.

A shadow falls over them. "Hello, Children."

**Thank you very much for reading! Please review if you liked it.**


	70. Chapter 70

The group turns as one to face the threat.

Threats are more accurate, since there are more than one.

"Who and what are you?" Leonardo asks.

"Can't you tell a rhinoceros when you see one?" one of the forms growls.

"Ha ha, sure, we're just not used to seeing them on their back legs, that's all," Michelangelo laughs nervously.

"And I'm a warthog," the other puts in.

"Uh, okay," Donatello frowns. "That's odd."

"Well, you're turtles," the warthog shoots back. "That's weird too."

"And now you have to die," The rhinoceros remarks casually. He lifts a weapon.

"HE'S GOT AN AUTOMATIC?!" Irma squeaks.

The warthog hefts his gun. "Uh-huh."

"Is that a-" Raphael begins.

"Machine gun!" Spike bellows, pushing him aside as they open fire.

Donatello steps up, spinning his bo staff to deflect the gunfire.

"We have to get out of the alley!" Leonardo shouts. "Get up on the roof!"

April scrambles up the ladder followed by Irma.

By the time they all hit the roof, the two gun toting mutants were halfway up the fire escape.

"We're gonna die," Irma pants.

"No we're not," Leonardo says firmly. April pulls out a knife.

"Where did you-" Spike begins.

"Your box was open," April says shortly.

Spike frowns, opens her mouth, shakes her head and closes it before turning as the rhino hauls himself over the top.

He draws the gun again, shaking his head. "You're fast, alright."

He opens fire.

Leonardo charges, swiping his sword in a downward arc that slices a shallow cut into the rhino's shoulder.

It grunts and hits Leonardo with the butt of his automatic.

Leonardo shakes his head and ducks as Raphael sails in above him, kicking it firmly in the chest.

The rhinoceros stumbles, and shoves back at him, spinning so Raphael is facing the edge of the building.

Spike leaps onto the rhino's back, arms around his neck. The rhinoceros frowns, and shakes himself, trying to toss her off his back.

"Get his gun!" she hollers. "Reduce him to short range!"

Leonardo reaches for the rifle, dodging the bullets. He grabs it just as the rhino slams his head backward, knocking Spike off.

She rolls over, feeling her forehead to assess damage.

Donatello kneels next to her, goggles down, and examines her head.

He smiles reassuringly a minute later. "You're alright, no brain damage or concussion whatsoever."

She stands up. "I better not," she remarks, backing out of the way of Leonardo and the rhino's grappling.

A scream breaks the air.

The group spins in time to see the warthog, with a hold on a very terrified Irma Langinstein.


	71. Chapter 71

Michelangelo started towards him. "Let her go!"

"Set your weapons down and I'll think about it," the warthog snarls.

The group turns to Leonardo. He nods.

One by one, the turtles and humans set their weapons down.

"Let her go," Leonardo says in a low voice, quiet, but terrifying.

The warthog's machine gun remains trained on them. "Right. But you're comin' back with us," he announces. He shoves Irma towards them.

Spike catches her and glances her over. "Did he hurt you?"

Irma shook her head, eyes wide.

"Why do you want them?" April demands.

"I can't tell ya." The warthog takes a step closer, before they hear a distinct _Thud!_

Casey Jones breaks his baseball bat on the side of the warthog's head.

The warthog turns and glares at him.

Casey's eyes widen and he backs up as the warthog advances.

The rhino is up now too.

He charges, and several things happen at once.

Raphael jumps the warthog as Michelangelo gets April, Irma, and Casey away from the immediate danger.

Donatello turns to help Raphael as Leonardo turns to assist Spike in her hopeless wrestling match with the rhinoceros.

Leonardo and Spike push the rhino towards the edge of the building. The rhino glances behind him, disengages, and jumps off himself.

"C'mon, Bebop!" he calls, presumably to the warthog.

The warthog races to the edge of the building. "Right behind ya, Rocksteady!"

Down he jumps as well, leaving the group alone.

Leonardo turns. "Well done, guys."

Spike smiles, and then frowns. "Gah!"

"What's the matter?" Donatello asks.

"I…." Spike glances down, and presses her hand to her side. "Uh."

Leonardo steps forward. "Are you hurt?"

"I think the rhino got me," she says weakly. "Just a scrape, I'll be fine."

Irma walks over with a frown. "If you're fine, why're you bleeding like that?"

Spike shrugs. "I'll be okay. I've had worse…"

Donatello points. "Liar. You're not okay. Let me see."

Spike sighs as he pries her fingers away. "Dude it's-ack don't _press _on it!"

Donatello whistles. "That's not a scrape. Hold still."

Spike's fingers dig into Michelangelo's shoulder as Donatello examines it.

"We'll take you back to the lair and patch you up," Donatello assures her.

Spike nods. "'Kay. Let's go." She takes a step and grimaces, determined to stay upright.

Leonardo shakes his head. "You're gonna need support."

"I can walk, I'm not an invalid," she snaps. She takes another step, before her throbbing side drives her to one knee.

Raphael hoists her up. "You're really thickheaded, you know that?"

"Back at ya."


	72. Chapter 72

"Bebop and Rocksteady," Michelangelo muses aloud.

"The Foot's wising up," Leonardo comments.

Raphael sets Spike down in the laboratory. "You okay?"

"Of course I am," she growls.

"Wooooaaaah," Casey says, glancing around.

Spike reaches up and grabs a hold of the ties on the back of Raphael's bandana and drags him lower. "You let him in here?" she hisses.

"We didn't really notice," he says, removing her fingers from his mask.

"What if he tells?"

"I don't think he will," Donatello says briskly. He sets his med kit down. "Alright, let me see."

Spike sighs and rolls her shirt up a little. "It's not that bad."

He frowns. "It could be if it gets infected." He glances up. "I'm going to clean it. This could sting."

"Fire away."

April turns to Casey. "You have to swear not to tell anyone."

"Okay," he says, still staring at his surroundings.

"_Swear it_," April says.

"Okay, I swear it!" Casey exclaims, slightly offended. "Jeez."

Irma glances at Spike. "You alright?"

"I've had worse," Spike assures her.

Irma winces. "You have?"

"Sure." She sucks in a breath as Donatello dabs alcohol on the wound. "Smarts a little, that's all."

"What on earth were those things?" Casey asks.

"A mutated rhinoceros and warthog," Donatello replies matter-of-factly.

"With guns. Guns that do more damage than bullets," Leonardo reminds them.

"You guys are used to getting shot at?" Casey asks.

"Uh, yeah," Michelangelo says. "By the way, what were _you _doing with a mask and hockey stick?"

Casey draws himself up to his full height. "I was plannin' on bein' a vigilante, to defend New York against creeps like you."

Michelangelo, despite being shorter, somehow manages to glare him down. "We're not creeps," he says defensively. "We're on the good side!"

"What makes you different from the rhino? Or that warthog?" Casey demands.

Irma pushes Casey and Michelangelo apart gently. "Stop it! I'll tell you how they're different!" She points. "Remember the Eric Sacks incident? They stopped him! And his boss! They fight the Foot Clan, and aliens, and mutants!"

"Aliens," Casey repeats skeptically.

"Yes, aliens. I saw pictures," Irma says seriously.

"They could have been faked," Casey points out.

Irma shakes her head. "Why would they fake it? They have nothing to gain. No fame, no fortune, they're just trying to save this city, and the world." She turns. "Which reminds me." She looks at Michelangelo. "Mikey, can I talk to Master Splinter?"

"Of course," Splinter says, coming up behind her. He nods at Casey, then turns to Irma. "What is it?"

"I would like you to teach me too," Irma says firmly.


	73. Chapter 73

"You would like me to teach you too?" Splinter repeats.

"Yes, sir," Irma says. She gestures towards the turtles and Spike. "You've taught them. And even Spike, who hasn't known you a year yet, claims that her skills have vastly improved. I intend on staying with this group, and to do that, I need to make a contribution to this team." She straightens her shoulders. "I am not athletic, but I believe that I could at least make a decent fighter if I worked hard enough, and I'm good at science and technology."

"So is Donnie," Michelangelo points out.

"He can't hack and fight at the same time, can he?" she asks. "I'd like to think I have some skills to offer."

April steps forward. "And if you're going to train her, train me too. I'm tired of being useless, and needing to be rescued all the time."

Splinter smiles. "Brave souls." He taps his chin. "Yes. I shall train you as well. We'll have a full group now," he remarks.

"Bad guys don't stand a chance!" Michelangelo declares.

Casey shrugs. "And I'm in too. I might need some training, but I'm a decent fighter already," he says.

"With or without the hockey stick?" Spike asks skeptically.

"Both," he declares.

Spike glances down at her wrapped side and stands up, wincing slightly. "Well good. You're no help dead."

She turns to Donatello. "Thanks for the patch job. I'm goin' topside for a while."

"Alright," he says, watching her in some concern. "Be careful until that heals."

She waves an arm. "C'mon. I'm always careful."

Donatello shakes his head as Spike turns and leaves the lair.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike paces back and forth across the top of a building. "Course Casey's here. Naturally. Heaven forbid he _not _torment me in all areas of my life. Of _course _he's a 'decent fighter'. I'm sure he is, that jerk. Bloomin' rhino and warthog. Isn't Bebop a type of music?"

"Yes, it is," an amused voice says.

Spike spins in the dark. "Skye?"

Skye steps forward. "Mm-hm."

"What do you have to warn me about this time?" Spike asks, crossing her arms.

"Oh, nothing. I have a question for you."

"Shoot," Spike gestures.

"Were you scared?"

"Scared? Of the mutants? Nah."

"No." Skye shakes her head. "Are you scared of Casey?"

"Why would I be scared of that punk?" Spike spits.

"But you are. You're scared that he's taking this from you too. You're afraid that he can get to you more easily now that he's in your group. He's not evil, you know."

"Just a jerk," Spike agrees.

"Mm." Skye nods, then freezes. "Good luck." The portal appears behind her and she steps through it. The portal disappears.

"Good luck?" Spike asks aloud. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"No idea," another voice answers.

Spike's eyes widen.

"Karai."


	74. Chapter 74

"Correct." Karai steps out of the dark. "Who were you talking to?"

"Myself, cause I'm clearly crazy," Spike says, shifting uneasily. "Look, can we call a truce for a night? I am in not the greatest condition to fight."

Karai frowns. "_You_? From what I gathered, you were _always _in a condition to fight."

"Yeah, but Donnie says I ripped my side open, so I can't."

Karai shrugs. "I'm amazed you're alive, what with Bebop and Rocksteady hunting you. They said that you and your friends were more skilled then they thought."

"Be sure to tell them thank you," Spike says irritably.

Karai raises her hands. "Alright. Truce. For now."

She sits down on the edge of the building next to Spike. Spike inches away.

"How long have you been there?"

"Only a minute. I heard you, and followed the noise."

"Spectacular," Spike gripes.

Karai glances at her. "You'd be a great ally."

"Thanks."

"Ever think about joining the Foot?"

"_No _thanks."

"We could use someone like you," Karai argues. "Why wouldn't you?"

"You are the bad guys," Spike explains.

"And you're a good guy?" Karai asks. "You've killed before."

Spike feels ice run through her veins.

_I've heard those words before._

_Xever._

She turns her head and fixes her eyes on Karai. "You broke Xever out of jail."

"Not yet."

"But you're planning to," Spike growls. "Who are Bebop and Rocksteady anyway?"

"Did you like them? They were our first human test subjects."

"Human?!" Spike gasps. "How?"

"We combined mutagen with rhinoceros and warthog DNA and injected them with it." She shrugs. "Invented our greatest success."

Spike looks horrified. "That's…..insane. How can they-"

"Scientific advancements," Karai interrupts. "And they volunteered. The pain was worth the prize." She smiles briefly, and Spike thinks that in another life, they could have been friends.

Spike sighs and moves, and winces as her side screeches at her. "Ow," she hisses.

Karai glances at her. "But, since we have a truce tonight," she settles back. "We can forget sides for a little while."

"How do I know you won't kill me here?"

"Honor among thieves," she says. "There is no honor in killing you in cold blood. If I kill you, I want you to die in battle."

"Well…..thanks."

Karai grins at her. "Why did you cut your hair?"

"Because jerks kept grabbing my ponytail in the middle of a fight," Spike shoots at her.

Karai crosses her arms. "Nice job forgetting sides."

"I didn't say anything about sides," Spike reminds her. "It just happens."

"Why do you even hang out with the turtles?" Karai asks.

"Because…..I like them," Spike says. "They're good friends."

"But it's dangerous. Why don't you stay home with your family or something?"

"I don't got a family," Spike says. "No one. No parents, no siblings, no one else."

Karai looks slightly surprised. "No one?"

"Nobody." Spike leans forward. "The turtles are a surrogate family. That's why I'd do anything to protect them. Even take down the Foot." She turns to Karai with a chilling stare. "Even if I died doing it."


	75. Chapter 75

Spike and Karai sat on the roof talking about various subjects for a long time.

Eventually, Spike forgot she was a bad guy.

Until her cell phone begins playing the Periodic Table song.

Spike flips it open. "Hey Donnie."

"Hi. Look, I hate to do this to you, but-"

"Don't sugarcoat it," Spike interrupts. "What's the matter?"

"I want you to stay in the lair until morning. Okay?"

"You want me to sleep over….." Spike says.

"Right." Donatello sound slightly sheepish. "Sorry."

Spike sighs. "It's fine."

She hangs up and turns to Karai. "I'm going."

"Alright." Karai looks up at her. "You know, we could have been friends."

"If you weren't evil, we could be," Spike agrees. "Good night, Karai."

**_That _**_was weird._

_Remember that the vilest of villains can be changed. _Skye's words came back to her.

Spike shakes her head and climbs into the sewer.

_Did she mean Karai?_

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike glances skeptically at the couch. "How many pillows do you think I need, Mikey?"

"Uh….Do you have a problem?" he asks.

"Well, I don't need six, that's for sure."

"Donnie doesn't use his," Michelangelo explains. "He sleeps in his lab."

Spike turns to Donatello. "Sleep in your room. Or else."

"Or else what?" Donatello asks.

"Or else….something bad will happen to you. Like…your spoon will always fall into your soup."

Michelangelo gives a horrified gasp. Donatello presses a hand over his heart, eyes wide.

"Anything but that," he whispers in mock terror.

"Alright, Sassatello."

April hauls in a green sleeping bag. "I found this." She lays it on the ground and sits on it, placing a backpack next to it.

"What are you doing?" Leonardo asks her.

"Sleeping over too."

"So am I," Irma declares, dragging in her own yellow sleeping bag. "A sleepover is just what we need."

Casey nods, gesturing at his own black sleeping bag. "I'm here too. Better get used to you guys if I'm in on it," he remarks.

Spike stares at him, frozen. "Really?" she asks in a forced voice.

"Sure."

Spike sits down on the pillow-laden couch. "Okay," she mutters. "Whatever."

As the lights go out after Michelangelo does his rounds to make sure everyone's comfortable, Spike stares up at the ceiling of the lair.

She rolls onto her good side and stares ahead.

_Should I mention Karai? _She wonders. _Would they worry? Was it that big of a deal? We'll be back to fighting her next time, right? She can't be an ally, right?_

She wishes she had a yes or no answer.

Life was rarely that kind.


	76. Chapter 76

When Spike wakes up the next morning, the first thought that enters her mind was: _this isn't my room._

She sits up, and grimaces when she feels her side. "Ow."

"Gooooooood morning!" Michelangelo cries, marching in.

"It is?" Spike asks groggily.

Irma sits up. "Ugh. What time is it?"

"Seven A.M.," Donatello announces. "And it might rain today, by the way."

"Ugh. Fun," April remarks, sitting up. She stands.

Donatello sits on the couch next to Spike. "How's your side?"

"It's fine," she says, standing. She bites her lip.

"You sure?" Donatello asks.

"Yeah. Just change the bandage, and I'll be fine."

Donatello pulls out his roll of bandages. "Okay. Let's see. Leonardo's got the coffee on, and you'll be wide awake in no time."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"What did you put in this?" Spike demands, glaring at her coffee cup.

"Cream," Irma says. "Why?"

"Well…I'm not a great fan of it, that's all," Spike says. _There, see, that was polite! _"You starting training soon?"

"Mikey said I could try today," she says. She smiles. "And April's gonna try it too. You?"

"As soon as I heal up, I will," she promises. "I'll do what I can right now, but I'm not ship-shape yet. Give me time, I've had worse."

Irma nods. "Where were you last night?"

Spike freezes. _Uh-oh._ "Uh, nowhere. Sitting on the roof." _Not a lie, not a lie…_

Casey strides into the kitchen. "Where's the coffee at?"

Spike frowns down at her coffee.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

The day was uneventful, and at nine thirty at night, Spike clambers to the top of a roof to think.

"I don't mind Irma," she remarks aloud. "But Casey? I….I may be being selfish, but I don't want him in our group. I don't want to share them with him."

"Understandable."

Spike jumps a foot off of the ground. "Karai!" She spins, mace out.

"Oh, relax. I won't hurt you. Although this might sting."

Spike turns at the jab in her arm, and only barely registers the needle before she passes out.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

The first thing she sees is a white ceiling in a white, clean, shiny room.

She sits up, and notices that she has not been bound. "Where am I?"

"I don't really think I ought to tell you that," Karai remarks. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Not really," she admits.

Karai steps forward. She is the only one in the room. "Look, I'm here to ask a question."

"I'll see if I can answer," Spike says dryly. "But I'm not going to forget the time you almost shot April. Or the time you threatened to kill Donnie if I didn't talk."

"That was in the past," Karai dismisses. "This is now. I've seen you fight. You're good. You're disciplined. I'm going to offer you something great."

"If this is about joining the Foot, forget it."

"Hear me out." Karai begins pacing. "The Foot has changed. When I joined, it was about honor. We killed, yes, but it was for a greater cause." She glances up. "The cause was Global Domination. Yes, I'd like that, but I realized after a while that it was impossible under our current leaders."

Spike raises an eyebrow. "And they'd be?"

"Sacks. Stockman. And a few select others. And the Kraang. The addition of the Kraang and the Purple Dragons has utterly contaminated our plan. They will want power. They will not be satisfied with part of it."

"No one ever is," Spike says quietly.

"They've grown overconfident. Slack. But you and I…." She turns. "We are different. Ambitious. Strong. Hungry. We could take over the Foot." Her eyes gleam. "We could destroy the Kraang, the Dragons, and become rulers of the world. Possibly the universe."

"Would that make us better than the Kraang?"

Karai frowns. "You're not listening. I'm offering you a chance to help rule the world. Equal in power to none but me!"

"And how long until you wondered about me? How long until you killed me? How could you possibly trust me, or yourself with something like that?" Spike demands.

"It'd be different. You would be in control."

"Partial control."

"And you'd be able to set things your way. No sharing."

_Your way._

_No sharing._

_I could protect my friends..._

Spike frowns. "Let me go, and I'll think about it. I'll meet you tomorrow night and we'll talk."


	77. Chapter 77

"Are you okay?" April asks. "You've been severely touchy all day."

"I'm fine," Spike mutters. "I'm just thinking."

"Well that'd dangerous," Casey remarks, joining them on the way out of the Office.

"Well, maybe for you it is," Spike snaps.

Casey shrugs the insult off. "So, care to join me for dinner?"

"I'm busy tonight," Spike says, shoving her hands in her pockets.

"Not you. I meant April," he explains.

April frowns. "Well-"

"Go have dinner," Spike waves her off. "I've got to….get some stuff done by myself. Go have fun."

She stalks down the street.

"Touchy," Casey comments.

April's eyebrows knit together. "Yeah….I hope she's okay."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike glares ahead of her inside the apartment. "I can't. I cannot join Karai. She's evil."

She shrugs. "On the other hand, maybe if I got in control of the Foot, I could obliterate it from the inside?"

She shakes her head. "And lose April, and Leo, and Mikey, and Donnie, and Raph…."

"Hard choice, isn't it?"

Spike stares at Skye. "How do you know where I live?"

"I know a lot about you," she admits. "You're deciding whether to take Karai up on her offer."

"Yeah." She sits back. "Do you have a suggestion, with all of your infinite wisdom? I'm not a bad person, but…maybe I could use the Foot for good?"

"Do you want a definite answer for that?" Skye asks.

"Yes. I do."

Skye sighs. "Let's take a trip."

"To where?"

"Neverland. Just kidding, we're heading through here." The portal opens behind Skye.

"Where?!" Spike points. "That's a Kraang type portal."

"No, it's a portal that I use. Come on." Skye steps through, and Spike hesitantly follows.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike blinks. She is standing on a long, narrow platform. On each side of the platform, for as far as she can see, are portals.

"What is this place?"

"A dimension between dimensions," Skye says nonchalantly. "Come on."

"So each of these are alternate universes?"

"Correct." Skye beams. "Smart girl."

"Can I see some of them?"

"Absolutely not!" Skye exclaims.

"Out of curiosity, why not?"

"Because. Many things in these universes are different, but many things are the same. You'd see how your story ends, in a way, and I can't let that happen. Spoilers. You need to figure your life out by yourself."

"Then why did you bring me here?"

"Because I'm going to show you something that you _need _to see. I told you, something's wrong with your universe. It's cracking, and some things are going awry. I need to see that it doesn't crash."

"So where are we going?" Spike asks.

"We're going to see a universe where you accept Karai's offer." She leads Spike through a portal. "Welcome to a world where you're in the Foot Clan."


	78. Chapter 78

"What?!"

"You find out who you are here. Congratulations! You're in the Foot Clan!" Skye says, sweeping her arm. "Do you know where we are?"

Spike glances around the inside of the dark building. "It looks like the Foot's HQ?"

"Well done. Look." Skye points.

The woman sitting on the throne notices them. "Who dares come here?"

Spike's eyes widen. "That's-"

"You," Skye says quietly. She speaks up. "Someone who needs to talk to you."

"Are you here to kill me?" The lights flip on. Spike steps forward. The woman on the throne stands up in shock. "That's impossible."

Spike looks into the proud face of someone she had seen many times.

Herself.

"No, it's not. I'm from a different universe," Spike explains. "I'm not in the Foot."

The woman sits down and sighs. "Well, at least one of us is on the right track."

"But I was considering an offer to join. I was asked by a woman named Karai."

Alternate Spike glances up sharply. "Karai. That's a name I haven't heard in a few years."

"Why?" Spike asks.

Alternate Spike sighs. "I killed her, that's why."

Spike frowns. "You did?"

"In this very room. She was getting power hungry. Wanted my share. So, I killed her. I took control of the Foot. And look what I've done!" She spreads her arms. "Everything is under my control. I have complete dominance over the Kraang, the mutants, the governments…."

"Why?"

"Why? Because I took the offer. I thought that I could change the world. And I did. But not how I used to want it. I had idealistic views. I was naïve. I thought I could destroy the Foot. But I soon realized the Foot would not be destroyed. And I'm trapped, now."

Spike shakes her head. "You could change it. You could go back to Splinter, and April, and the turtles…."

"Turtles?" Alternate Spike laughs sadly. "I'm afraid they're dead too."

"Dead?" Spike gasps.

"Yes. They tried to stop me. I told them I had it under control. I told them I could stop the evil…they wouldn't listen." She puts her head in her hands. "I….I was angry. The Kraang found me arguing with them…they thought I was being attacked." Her shoulders shake once. "They killed them. I wish I could take it back. I'm being kept here, now, the leader of the Foot Clan." Her voice trembles. "I could have stopped it in the beginning. You have to tell Karai no. It hasn't happened for you yet." She lifts her head. "You're still young. You have so many decisions ahead of you. Don't go down this path. I thought I could come back out, but I couldn't." She flashes her grey eyes. "You go, Spike Sanchez, and don't look back. Please. I can't change what happened, but I can give you this advice." She stands. "There's nothing here for me, or for you. Turn Karai down. Fight the evil, and don't ever think there's something to it, because it's frosting on a poisonous cake. You'll lose everything but power, and power is a dangerous companion."

Spike nods. "What are you going to do then?"

"Wait. And hopefully, one day, die." She gestures at her. "Don't end like me."

Spike turns to Skye.

"Do you have your answer?"

"Yes," Spike whispers.

"Are you ready to go?" Skye asks.

"Yes," Spike answers.

"Then come on."

Spike steps through the portal first this time.


	79. Chapter 79

Spike steps back into her apartment. Skye isn't with her anymore.

She looks out the window, and starts on her way out of the apartment.

She has a meeting to make.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"I know I'm not at the apartment, April, I…I'm meeting somebody. No, it's not a dude…..yeah. Yeah, an acquaintance. You may know her. OH, here she comes, bye!" Spike hangs up in relief.

"I see you've made a decision," Karai declares, approaching her.

"I have."

"What is it? Yes, or no? With or against? And not against the Foot. Against me."

Spike takes a deep breath. "No. Against. Negative. Never."

"What?" Karai asks.

"I refuse to be a part of this. I won't join you, Karai. It would end in too many horrors."

"Well, this decision might end in one today," Karai snarls. She leaps at Spike.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike has not brought her weapons. It's just her.

_I hope that's all I need._

Spike dodges the first punch.

Karai brings her hand down to grab a fistful of Spike's short hair. Spike rams her forehead into Karai's chin, coming up from her crouch. Karai stumbles back, and kicks Spike in the stomach. Spike grunts and drives her elbow into Karai's shoulder, pushing her further back. Karai grabs Spike's arm at the shoulder. Spike bites her wrist.

Karai cries out and slaps Spike.

Spike drives her knee upwards into her stomach, absorbing a blow to the face as she does so.

"We could have been so much stronger together!" Karai shouts.

"No. Weaker. Divided by power." Spike and Karai circle each other, blood dripping from both faces.

"How can you be sure?" Karai spits.

"I just know."

Karai charges again, feinting a left jab before going in for a right hook. Spike ducks and slams her shoulder into Karai's chest, shoving her back.

"We could have had control! Ultimate power!" Karai cries.

"Ultimate power is too much for one person!" Spike shouts, wiping blood from her lower lip.

Karai ducks a punch and twists Spike's arm. Spike pops the pressure point in Karai's elbow, turning her arm numb. Karai drops Spike's wrist. Spike punches her in the cheek.

Karai stumbles back, panting and holding her arm.

"What do you mean," she gasps. "One person?"

"Sooner or later we would have killed each other for it," Spike explains. "Believe me."

"We could be stronger than that."

"Power corrupts," Spike says. "I won't abandon my family."

"Can you call that a family?" Karai asks. She stands straight. "Four mutant turtles. A rat. A reporter. A nerd. A bully hockey player. Can you call that a family?"

"I bet it's more of a family than you have," Spike says quietly.

Karai falls silent.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

Karai doesn't say anything.

"Tell you what," Spike says, standing straight. "If you stop actively fighting us, maybe you can join us one day."

"I doubt that."

"Well, the door's open. If you want to join us instead, that'll be great." She turns. "But I'm going home now. I have cuts to tend to."

She starts home, leaving Karai behind her.


	80. Chapter 80

"Your side's healed now," Skye remarks quietly.

Spike nods. "Your work?"

Skye shrugs modestly. "You needed it." She stands. "I think a friend of yours is coming. Farewell for now."

She disappears through the portal seconds before April throws the door open. "Spike!"

"April!" Spike stands. "How was dinner?"

"Alright. Casey's gotten a lot better. What were you doing?"

"Nothing," Spike says with a half-shrug.

"What happened to your _face_?"

Spike feels the dried blood. "Ran into a wall. We need to get down to the lair though."

"Why?"

"Your first day of training, of course."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

Spike watches Splinter take April and Irma through the basics for an hour before he lets them rest.

April flops down next to her, wiping sweat off her brow. "This is harder than it looks."

"Yeah," Spike agrees, standing.

"What are you doing?" April asks.

Spike pulls off her sweatshirt. "Michelangelo! I challenge you to a sparring session!"

"You're hurt," April hisses.

Spike flashes a grin. "Not anymore."

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

"Okay, I yield! I yield!" Michelangelo wails.

Spike lets go of him and stands up, shouting in victory.

April hugs her. Irma bounces up and down.

Leonardo shakes her hand and Donatello hugs her, exclaiming congratulations.

Splinter nods his head wisely and Raphael pats Spike on the shoulder with a half-smile that means that he's still proud of her, and doesn't want to show it.

And that's fine with her.

The day Spike Sanchez beat Michelangelo at a sparring match went on calendars that belonged to both turtles and humans.

It was a momentous day, and it was a momentous moment when Michelangelo yielded, then announced a prank war pitting humans against turtles.

**_~Trouble Strikes Again~_**

_You know what, Journal? It's been a good seven months. It's September now, and this has been one of the best years of my life._

_April O'Neil is my best friend, and my sister and I will never forget her. Irma Langinstein is a skilled ally. I don't have to like Casey Jones, but I will try to get along with him._

_Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo are my friends and my brothers._

_Splinter is my teacher._

_Karai is my enemy that I like._

_Skye is my guide._

_I can only hope that this will be a great rest of the year._

_After I glue the pizza boxes shut._

_-Spike_

And I think this is where we'll leave Spike Sanchez.

She's happy, and not alone anymore. She's got friends, family, a nemesis, a guide and a bouquet of yellow roses.

So, maybe we'll leave her.

Until next time, that is. Where Danger Strikes a Blow.

The song is ending, but the story never ends.

Cowabunga.

**The End! Thanks guys, Act One is over! This has been the rising action, and next is the complicating incident, Danger Strikes A Blow, because I'm not ending here! You guys get a sequel coming right up! Thank you for making this possible and for reviewing and encouraging me.**


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